Ohmygoshohmygosh … so many strawberries! I just may turn into a strawberry. I’ve picked them, purchased them, shrubbed them, sliced them into my cereal. But this season, my favorite way to enjoy strawberries involves my very favorite cake recipe: French Yogurt Cake.
The Easy Strawberry Trifle recipe below is hardly a recipe at all: Cut up slices of French Yogurt Cake, top with macerated strawberries and dollop with whipped cream.
Here’s the secret to the perfect dessert, folks (and you can thank me later): Perfect whipped cream. Whipping a bit of plain Greek yogurt with heavy cream creates a thick whipped cream that remains stable in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Plus, it adds a lovely tang that counterbalances the creamy sweetness.
Make these easy individual trifles all summer long: slice juicy local peaches instead of the strawberries, then move on to red raspberries, blueberries and other seasonal fruit (or a combination of any). Toss the fruit with Meyer lemon zest, which adds a lovely floral-citrus perfume to the dish; if you can’t find a Meyer lemon, or use a mix of orange and lemon zest.
easy individual strawberry trifles
makes 4
1 pint local strawberries
1 tsp. Meyer lemon zest (or a combination or orange and lemon zest)
1 to 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 to 3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 thick slices French Yogurt Cake (or Heavenly Pecan Pound Cake)
About an hour before serving, halve or quarter the berries and toss with Meyer lemon zest and sugar (adjust amount depending on how sweet your berries are). Let sit at room temperature. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a wire whisk), whip together the yogurt and cream until soft peaks form; add powdered sugar to taste and vanilla. Whip to firm peaks. Cut the cake into cubes and distribute among 4 dessert glasses or pint canning jars. Top with fruit and generous dollops of whipped yogurt cream. Serve immediately, or keep refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.
