Iced chocolate and cherry trifle

This extra-special chocolate and cherry trifle is the ultimate decadent dessert for a crowd. This clever recipe is simple to make but looks impressive

Prep:30 mins
Cook:38 mins
plus chilling

Serves 10
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 321
fat 24g
saturates 14g
carbs 22g
sugars 19g
fibre 3g
protein 3g
salt 0.09g

Ingredients

1 tin or jar black cherries in syrup (about 400g)
150ml whipping cream
80g chocolate brownies or muffins
200g dark chocolate, chopped
150g mascarpone
2 tbsp icing sugar

Method

Line a 900g loaf tin or terrine with baking parchment. Tip the cherries into a sieve over a saucepan and drain off the syrup. Bring the syrup to a boil and simmer until it thickens and is reduced by half, about 5 mins, and stir back in the cherries. Spoon the cherries and syrup into the base of the tin and leave to cool.
Whip half of the cream until it thickens but is not stiff, spoon this in a layer over the cherries. Cut the brownie or cupcake into pieces and make a layer on top of the cream. Melt 100g chocolate carefully in a small pan and leave to cool a little.
Tip the mascarpone into a bowl and add the remaining cream and the icing sugar, whisk together with electric beaters until they are just combined and the mixture is thick, stir in the melted chocolate with a spatula. Spoon the chocolate mixture on top and smooth the surface. Put the trifle into the fridge for 30 mins.
Melt the remaining chocolate in the same way, leaving to cool a little and pour it onto the trifle, tip the loaf tin back and forth to make a thin, even layer. Wait for the chocolate to set and then cover the tin or terrine and put it into the freezer. Freeze for up to 1 week.
To serve, take the tin or terrine out of the freezer and leave it to sit for 10 mins, then tip it out onto a serving plate. The syrup from the cherries will run down the sides a little, leave the trifle to sit for another 20 mins before cutting into slices to serve.