Raspberry, White Chocolate, and Almond Trifle

By cw_2009

A dream-come-true holiday dessert: so easy to assemble, yet so very impressive (and delicious, too)

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
• 12 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
• 1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 7 ounces Boudoirs or Champagne biscuits (crisp ladyfinger cookies),* divided
• 1 cup raspberry jam, melted, divided
• 1 1/2 12-ounce packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, partially thawed, divided
• 2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

Step 1

Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 10 minutes. Beat 2 1/2 cups cream and 1/2 teaspoon extract in large bowl to soft peaks. Fold in white chocolate mixture.

Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts. Mix in 3/4 teaspoon extract; remove syrup from heat. Quickly submerge 1 biscuit in syrup; shake excess back into pan. Place dipped biscuit in bottom of 14-cup trifle dish. Repeat with enough biscuits to cover bottom of dish.

Spread 1/3 of melted jam over biscuits in dish. Top with 1/3 of partially thawed berries with juices. Spread 1/3 of whipped chocolate cream over. Repeat layering with dipped biscuits, melted jam, partially thawed berries, and whipped chocolate cream 2 more times. Mound fresh berries in center of trifle. Sprinkle almonds around edge. Cover and chill at least 5 hours and up to 24 hours.

*Available at some supermarkets and at Italian markets.