Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle

Happy Day after Election Day!  Whether your candidate won or lost, aren't you glad to be done with the phone calls, mailers, needless political ranting on facebook, etc.?  I know I am! 

Our good friends invited us last night to their house to watch the election results come in.  Wait a minute... a fun activity on a Tuesday night???  That is unheard of, at least since we had children! 

Since we rarely get out for a night without the kids, my husband and I decided we should have a little fun with it - i.e. Uncle Sam hat for him, light up red/white/blue tiara for me, patriotic leis, the whole sha-bang! 

And, when I offered to make a dessert, of course I had to do something within the theme.  Though this is probably more appropriate as a 4th of July dessert, it was light, fruity, and scrumptious!  Happy Post Election Day!!! 

Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle

Recipe from www.recipesnobs.com

1 1/2 pounds raspberries or strawberries

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, divided

1/4 cup cold water

16 ounces mascarpone cheese

2 cups cold heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Fine salt

20 to 24 ladyfingers

3/4 pound blueberries

In a medium bowl, combine raspberries with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and water. With the back of a fork, lightly mash berries to release their juices and let sit 10 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together mascarpone and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Whisk in cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt and, using an electric beater, beat until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes.

 

In an 8 in. springform pan, place half the ladyfingers in a single layer (you are going to have to cut up the lady fingers a bit to get them to fit).  Top with half the berry mixture.  Spread half the whipped cream over berries.

 

Repeat layers with remaining ladyfingers, berries, and whipped cream. Top with blueberries and refrigerate until whipped cream is stiff and cookies have softened, about 3 hours.  To serve, remove outside of springform pan, slice and serve! 

 

Food for Thought:  My sister and I were tossing out ideas on how you could make this a Christmas-y dish and we came up with a few variations - make it just all red and white striped (so it looks like a a candy cane) by replacing the blueberries with strawberries, try kiwi instead of blueberries to get the red and green look, or even possibly a little green food coloring in the whipped cream and then doing just red berries for the fruit.  The possibilites seems endless!  :)  Happy eating!