SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - Trifles are a great dessert to make for the home cook who is short on time and energy this festive season.

Even if you are a novice in the kitchen, you can pull off this simple recipe for a cream cheese chocolate cherry trifle and present it as a pretty Christmas gift.

The cream cheese gives a sturdy texture to the whipped cream and provides a tangy contrast to the sweetness of the cake and Almond Roca.

I chose dark cherries as I have a soft spot for kirsch, a cherry liqueur. You can substitute the cherries with canned peach, which would go better with Cointreau than kirsch.

You will need two 750ml jars. For food safety reasons, this trifle should be consumed within two days.

CREAM CHEESE CHOCOLATE CHERRY TRIFLE

INGREDIENTS

110g Almond Roca

1 can of dark sweet cherries, pitted (435g)

2 Tbs kirsch

350g chocolate cake

250g cream cheese, cut into large cubes

300ml whipping cream

10g icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla essence

METHOD

1. Chop Almond Roca coarsely and set it aside.

2. Open can of dark sweet cherries. Reserve 80ml of heavy syrup from the can.

3. Place drained dark cherries in a bowl and add in kirsch. Set aside.

4. Cut chocolate cake into 3.5cm cubes. Set aside.

5. Place the cream cheese in a clean dry mixing bowl. Use a cake mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Set aside.

6. In another clean dry mixing bowl, add in the whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla essence. Whisk at low speed for a minute, then increase the speed. Whisk until soft peaks form.

7. Add in cream cheese to that and continue whisking for one to two minutes until stiff peaks form.

8. To assemble, spoon three tablespoons of the whipped cream into the jar. Place four pieces of chocolate cake. Splash two teaspoons of syrup over the cake. Add four or five cherries.

9. Sprinkle one teaspoon of the chopped Almond Roca.

10. Cover with three tablespoons of whipped cream. Repeat the layer of chocolate cake with syrup, cherries and Almond Roca.

11. Top off with a layer of whipped cream and sprinkle on Almond Roca. Add one or two cherries for garnish. Seal jar tight and refrigerate overnight.

12. Do the same with the other jar.

13. Serve when ready to eat.

Yields 8 servings.

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