Easy Summer Dessert - Fruit and cream and pound cake trifle

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Don't you just love summer desserts?

I do...especially those that don't require me to turn on my oven in this blazing heat.

This light and fresh dessert looks like I slaved over it for hours, but it really was quite easy.

I have to mention, you can make this even easier by using cool whip or even canned whipped cream and leaving out the pudding.  I just happen to love fresh whipped cream..and thought the cake would taste good soaked in the pudding.

this is what you will need for this recipe:

Heavy Cream

Powdered Sugar

Vanilla Extract

Instant Pudding

Milk

zip lock bag

fresh fruit of your choice

pound cake or angel food cake

Fresh Whipped Cream

first, put your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer

to make sure it is really cold.  

the recipe that I use for whipped cream is simple.

1cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

1 table spoon of vanilla extract

Measure your cream

I multiplied this by 4 and it was just enough for my trifle bowl.

maybe I would have had a little left over if I had some self control and didn't help myself to a few heaping spoonfuls while making this!

Mix the cream until peaks form.

I start off slower and then gradually move to full speed when the cream starts to thicken.  Otherwise it tends to splash.

This is what "peaks" look like with a stand mixer.

add your powdered sugar and mix

add your vanilla and mix.

Be sure not to over mix the cream...otherwise it will get lumpy...which isn't good!

Stick the whipped cream in the fridge while you get your other ingredients prepared.

I used strawberries and blueberries to make a red white and blue 4th of July themed dessert - but I am sure this would be tasty with all different kinds of fruit!

Wash and slice your fruit.

I soak berries and grapes in this fruit wash for awhile.

Lots of times you can find it in the produce department...otherwise, look in the laundry detergent - dish soap area of your grocery store.

this is what the bottle looks like of the brand that I use.

(I probably should have taken a picture of the bowl in the background.

You know those things that you never knew you needed until you get it?

this is one of those things!

It is a bowl with a handle on one side, and then you can see the gary part is a strainer.  I soak my fruit in there, and then just pour the water out.

I bought it on sale when the company was featured on 

Zulily.  

I absolutely love it.

Wanna see something gross?

this is a little sample of the water I poured out after letting the strawberries soak for awhile.

EEEEWWWWW.

Okay - moving on.

Grab your pound cake or angel food cake.

I love angel food cake, and it is dreamy with this.

I chose to use pound cake because I was cutting stars to go with my 4th of July

motif..and it looked better.

Use whatever you like best.

I cut the pound cake lengthwise to get the most stars out of each piece.

I cut it about this thick.

then i used a small star cookie cutter

to make my shapes.

the leftover pieces I cut into cubes

to use in the layers of the trifle.

1 pound cake was all I needed.

Get your cream out of the fridge and scoop some of it into a ziplock bag.

Cut off the tip to use as a piping bag.  You can use a pastry piping bag if you like...but you have to clean it.  This one you can just throw away!

I piped a layer of cream into the bottom of the dish to give the strawberries something to stick to.

slide in your sliced strawberries (or whatever fruit you choose)

add in your cubed cake

get your pudding mix out and 2.5ish cups of cold milk

I used sugar free fat free instant pudding.

Yes, this in my mind justified the mounds of real whipped cream..lol.

I pour the milk into the bowl and slowly sprinkle in the mix with one hand while constantly stirring the whisk in the other to avoid lumps.

I used the recommended amount of milk at first, but then added more after it set while putting together the second layer.

top with a layer of fruit 

and then pipe a layer of whipped cream.

I forgot to take a picture of adding in the pound cake stars.  Sorry about that.

I just put them on after the cream.

Repeat the layers until you fill your bowl

and do your final layer of whipped cream.

Since it was the 4th - I wanted to make a star on the top.

You can wing it of you like.. I used my large star cookie cutter to give me an outline to follow.

(you can buy them online HERE - but I think I got mine at Wal-Mart.  that or JoAnn's)

place your berries on top

and enjoy your delicious summer treat!

~Jacki~

4th of July Brownie and Fruit Kabobs

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Fruit and chocolate = yum.

We were invited to our friends house for the 4th of July, and I was put in charge of dessert.

Sometimes I wish I was the kind of person that could pick up a box of cookies and call it a day....but most of the time I'm glad that I'm not.

I honestly love to bake and cook...but what I love even more is to see people

enjoy whatever I've put together.

Kind of like Christmas....sure, it's nice to get presents.  However, 

my favorite part about Christmas (besides being with loved ones) is watching people open the presents that I picked out or made for them.

it's the best.

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So, on to the point of this post.

I made 2 desserts for the party.

A delicious trifle, and then these kid friendly kabobs.

SO easy - and a HUGE hit..

this is what you will need:

brownie mix

(eggs and vegetable oil)

chocolate chips

Chocolate syrup

kabob skewers

marshmallows

fruit of your choice

(I used blueberries and strawberries for red white and blue)

shortening or non-stick spray

jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with sides

cookie cutter 

First I greased a large cookie sheet with crisco.

Make sure you get a good layer on there, because you want them to come out of the pan in one piece.

Next I prepared the brownie mix (I used 2 boxes because of the size of this pan).

Before kids I ALWAYS baked from scratch. Now, I am proud if I bake...and it is an added bonus ifI get to make it from scratch.

I prefer Betty Crocker Original Supreme mix if I used a boxed mix.

I also always add chocolate chips.  Simply because they are better that way :)

I used about half a bag of mini chocolate chips, Regular sized chips would work too.

spread the mix into your greased cookie sheet/jelly roll pan.

Bake according to the direction on the box or your recipe.

I baked these at 350 for about 25-30 minutes.

check with a toothpick to make sure they are done.

Take them out and let them cool.

Once they are cool, lay a towel over the top of your pan.

use the towel to hold the brownie when you flip the pan over.

I just tapped the back of the pan a few times and it fell out easily.

Keep this step in mind when greasing your pan!

I wanted to flip the big brownie again so it was right side up to cut.

I just put another towel on top and it made the process of flipping much easier.

Now - you can just use a knife and cut these into squares.

Since it was the 4th of July - I had to make them stars.

the cookie cutter went through the brownie in the center easily.

the outer edges were a little tougher.

I tapped a meat mallet to help the cookie cutter go through.

Now you just load your fruit, brownies and marshmallows 

onto the skewer sticks however you like.

Once I did that...I had to add some vitamins and Calcium.

They were for the kiddos you know 

:)

Just drizzle the chocolate syrup over your kabobs and they are ready to go.

Super easy, (nutritious) and delicious!

Enjoy!

~Jacki~