A Berry, Berry Nice Dessert
June 21, 2007

Happy Summer! Today's recipe comes to us from Glenna “GG” Granzella (try saying that three times after a glass of Santa Barbara wine!) GG, elegant and athletic California mom to a dear friend and neighbor, is celebrating her eightieth birthday during this season of strawberries. Her recipe for strawberry trifle has been a beloved standard in the Granzella family for decades. It is unbelievably delicious and so very easy that I made it in eight minutes— three of which were spent admiring the gorgeous final product. (Note: GG likes to bake the cake fresh, but I used a prepared cake. She also cooks the pudding; I found that instant pudding worked fine, too– so there is a lot of wiggle room in this recipe.) Thank you for sharing a wonderful tradition with us, GG, and have a berry, berry happy birthday!

GG’s Strawberry Trifle
(Serves 12—15)

Ingredients:

  1. Purchased angel food mix or prepared cake sliced into three ring shaped layers*
  2. Jello brand instant vanilla pudding whisked together with 2 cups whipping cream
  3.  2 16—ounce frozen strawberries with syrup, defrosted
  4.  1 pound fresh strawberries sliced (or any berries or summer fruit)
  5.  12 ounce container of Lite Cool Whip
  6.  4 ounces toasted almonds, chopped

Steps:

  1. Place one layer of the angel food cake on the bottom of a Trifle dish or big glass bowl. (Mine is 7.5" across and 5.5" deep).
  2. Spread one—third of the pudding evenly over the cake.
  3. Spread one—third of the frozen strawberries with syrup mixture over the custard.
  4. Scatter one—third of the fresh strawberries.
  5. Spread one—third of the Cool Whip.
  6. Repeat process twice more. 
  7. Sprinkle toasted almonds over the final top layer and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the trifle sit for 2 hours or up to 24 before serving.

*Note: Keep your angel food cake fresh in the freezer until ready to use. I sliced my cake right out of the freezer into perfect rings, no tearing or crumbs. 

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, Jeff, and three college–aged daughters who come and go. ©2008