Mini Red Velvet Trifles - Ina Paarman
Serves 6 x 2
This dessert will serve two meals. Make 8 mini Trifles and use the leftover Red Velvet Cake and Cheesecake to make a big one bowl of Trifle. You can even freeze the large trifle for New Year.
RED VELVET CAKE
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
¾ cup (180ml) canola oil
¼ cup (60g) butter, melted
¾ cup (180ml) full cream milk, warmed
1 x 580g Ina Paarman's Red Velvet Cake Mix
Adjust oven shelf to middle position.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cut rounds with a cookie cutter
Cut rounds with a cookie cutter.
Butter and line a 36cm x 25cm baking pan with baking paper.
Mix cake according to box instructions and spread out evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Leave to cool in the pan and cut out 8 rounds using a 6cm cookie cutter. Leave on one side.
CHEESECAKE
1 cup (250ml) cold water
1 x 250g Ina Paarman's Lemon Cheesecake Mix
1 cup (250ml) fresh cream
Mix according to package instructions, but reserve 2 T (30ml) of the dry mix.
TO ASSEMBLE
1/3 cup (80ml) medium cream sherry or brandy
50g slab dark chocolate
1 cup (250ml) cream
2 T (30ml) reserved dry cheesecake mix
½ cup (125ml) blueberries
½ - ¾ (125ml - 180ml) cup pomegranate pips
8 rings 6cm wide and 4cm high (plastic piping works well)
Icing sugar for dusting
Combine Red Velvet Cake and Cheesecake in layers.
Place rings on a small tray that will fit into your fridge. Place one cake cut out into each ring and sprinkle 2 teaspoons of sherry or brandy over. Top with a generous helping of cheesecake mixture. Level it. Add a final layer of cake and sprinkle with sherry. Set in the fridge. Can be done the day before.
Melt the chocolate and spoon it into a small plastic sandwich bag. Snip a tiny hole in one corner and pipe a 'Chrismassy' pattern on the plate. Leave to set, can also be done the day before.
TO SERVE
Push the trifles out of the rings and position on the plate. Whip the cream and the 2 T (30ml) of reserved cheesecake mix to stabilise the cream. Top each trifle with a generous dollop of cream. Finish off with whole blueberries and pomegranate pips and dust with icing sugar.
One Bowl Trifle
Use leftover pieces of Red Velvet Cake cut into smallish blocks. Sprinkle with sherry or brandy and layer with leftover Cheesecake mixture in a glass bowl. Top with leftover cream and fruit. Refrigerate until needed or freeze well covered for 1 week or maximum 10 days. Defrost covered, before serving.
