Easy, Entertaining Dessert

When entertaining it can be daunting when trying to find easy and beautiful desserts that will please every pallet. The following is a dessert that is not only simple but also delicious and will keep your guests coming back for more.

Trifles are a wonderful dessert for entertaining. They are eye catching in any clear glass bowl or if you have a trifle dish handy. Trifles may appear to be fancy but truly they are just cake, cream, and fruit in any variety that tickles your fancy. The first thing you have to choose is what fruit you want to use, strawberries, peaches, bananas whatever you believe your guests will enjoy, chop them into bite size pieces and set aside. Then pick the cake you like, angel food cake, yellow cake, pound cake, or even brownies. Lastly pick your cream, could be a pudding of any flavor, or the pre-made cheesecake filling you find in the store, even custard. If you want to get fancy you can mix cool whip or whip cream with juice from the fruit you are using.

Now all you have to do is put it all together. First use a full size cake and cut it into 1x1 inch cubes. Layer 1/3 of the cubes in the bottom of your clear dish. Next you want at least 4 cups of whatever cream you like. Pour a cup and half of the cream over the cake till it is evenly spread. The next step is to make sure you have 3 cups of whatever fruit you have chosen. Pour one cup of the fruit over the cream. After that just repeat the layering 2 more times ending with fruit as the top layer. All you have to do is let it sit for about an hour, which allow for everything to culminate. Then serve.

Some great pairings would be angel food cake, strawberries, strawberry cool whip; peaches, vanilla pudding, and pound cake; sour cream cake, blackberries, and sweetened whip cream. You can do almost anything with trifles. A real crowd favorite is brownies, strawberries and sweetened whip cream, with drizzles of strawberry sauce and caramel.

Other versions of these trifles which are great for entertaining would be to stick one small layer in a martini glass or a wine glass for individual servings. If you like for an extra kick you can sprinkle rich liquor over the cake before layering. Kahlua is great for chocolate trifles; brandy is good for fruity trifles. Don't soak the cake just a light sprinkle than continue with your layering. This will play off the other flavors in the dessert.

This will become a family favorite and a great mix and match dessert for your friends and kids.