Can I use store bought caramel?

There’s never any judgement here. Of course you can make your own caramel (and it’s much simpler than you might think). For something like this, I would opt for a butterscotch. You simply melt sugar and butter together until golden and then bubble in some double cream. Let it cool completely before drizzling in. However, sometimes life is too short to be making caramel from scratch and I love the convenience of the kind you get in tins - Carnation is the brand I use for things like this (it is also brilliant for banoffee pie). Never feel guilty about cooking in a way that works for you!

Can I make this Chocolate Brownie Trifle ahead of time?

Yes! I don’t know about you, but being able to make it ahead is a non-negotiable factor when deciding on a Christmas dessert. That is why this Chocolate Brownie Trifle is perfect - it takes just seconds to put together and then will happily chill out in the fridge overnight if you are serving it the next day.

Can I make this Chocolate Brownie Trifle for vegans?

A few years ago, that might have seemed impossible. However, nowadays, there are so many plant-based substitutes that, with a few simple tweaks, you could turn this Chocolate Brownie Trifle into the most delicious vegan Christmas dessert. Simply swap the double cream for a whippable vegan cream (either this one from The Coconut Collab or this whippable creamy oat from Oatly), then use a vegan chocolate mousse, brownie and caramel, and opt for a vegan dark chocolate for decorating. Enjoy!

How to store leftovers?

Store any leftover brownie trifle, covered, in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Chocolate Brownie Trifle

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Imagine layers of rich chocolate brownie, decadent chocolate mousse, softly whipped cream, sweet caramel and fruity cherries, all finished off with a sprinkling of chocolate. This is the trifle recipe you didn’t know you needed.

Author: Margie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours (to chill in fridge)
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: No cooking
Cuisine: English

Ingredients

Scale

600ml double cream

750g brownie bites

500ml chocolate mousse

1 x 397 g tin caramel

500g pitted fresh cherries

Fresh mint sprigs

2 twirls or flakes

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Instructions

Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and whisk until you have soft peaks - take care not to over whisk.
Place the brownie bites into the bottom of your trifle dish and pour over a layer of chocolate mousse. Use the back of a spoon, a spatula or palette knife to spread in a smooth and even layer.
Top with a layer of whipped cream and gently spread to smooth, repeat with a layer of caramel. Sprinkle over the cherries.
Repeat the layering process until you reach the top of your dish - making sure you finish with a layer of whipped cream.
Decorate with fresh cherries and sprigs of mint. Crumble over the twirls or flake chocolates. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Notes

Whipped cream: take care to whip the cream just to soft peaks for the decoration - if you over whip, it will split and you will eventually get something akin to butter.
Splash of liqueur: if making for adults, you can drizzle the brownie layer with a splash of liqueur. Kirsch would be delicious for a nod to Black Forest Gateau, whilst Amaretto or Frangelico would give a delicious nutty flavour.
Individual servings: you can make individual trifles by assembling in glasses or bowls, if you prefer.
To decorate: I like to crumble over a twirl or flake to fit with the retro trifle theme, but you could make your own dark chocolate curls (made using a vegetable peeler) if you prefer. Cherries work beautifully with chocolate and look so pretty too. Or try a drizzle of dark chocolate, some raspberries, red currants, mint, edible flowers...
To store: Keep in the fridge until you're ready to serve. I usually make it the day before and leave it in the fridge overnight. But can last up to 2 days in the fridge, I might be tempted to decorate it at the last minute.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/chocolate-brownie-trifle/