Spicy Chocolate Trifle With Marshmallows and Raspberries

Trifles are always a fun dessert to make because they make such a beautiful presentation. The only limitation is your imagination, deciding what ingredients you want to combine. A traditional trifle is typically made with sponge fingers dipped in some type of alcohol, along with fruit or jelly and custard and perhaps some whipped cream. These ingredients are then layered in a tall trifle bowl and, depending on the colors and what fruit or jelly is used, the effect is a dessert worthy of any occasion.

Our take on the trifle is this Spicy Chocolate Trifle With Marshmallows and Raspberries. It reminds me of a rich cup of hot chocolate with a hint of fruit flavor. What I will say about this is that it is best served as a small portion, primarily because it is a rich, chocolatey dessert. It will feed a crowd and while you can simplify the recipe by using a box cake, I would highly recommend making the cake from scratch. You really want it to be mildly dense, between a regular cake and a brownie. The hint of spice, from the cayenne pepper in this recipe, helps balance out the overall sweetness.

Preparing the Cake

This cake is worth the effort as the taste balances the sweetness of the ganache and marshmallow sauce, as well as holding up to the other ingredients so it doesn’t crumble. To make it, melt the butter in a large 3-Qt. Sauce Pan over medium heat and, using a Mix-Stir, whisk in the cocoa and espresso powder, followed by the water and sugar. When the mixture is smooth, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla to the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until fully combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture, taking care to not over stir. Pour the cake batter into the prepared 9-by-13-inch baking pan and cook for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely and remove from the pan.

Using a 7-3/4" Petite Slicer, cut the cooled cake into one-inch cubes and set aside.

Preparing the Ganache

Using a 7" Santoku, chop the semi-sweet and 72 percent cacao chocolate bars into small pieces.

Place the chopped chocolate and one-and-a-half cups of heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power for one minute. Stir and microwave again at 50 percent power for three minutes, stirring the mixture every 30 seconds. The chocolate should be thoroughly melted and if it’s still thick, add the additional heavy cream to thin it into a sauce.

Preparing the Marshmallow Sauce and Marshmallows

In a large bowl, beat the marshmallow cream and a half cup of heavy cream on low speed until combined. Add the remaining heavy cream and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Using the Super Shears, cut the marshmallows in half and place them in a large bowl. Set aside.

Putting the Trifle Together

To bring this dessert together, start by putting one-third of the cake cubes into the bottom of a trifle bowl. Layer with one-third of the ganache, followed by one-third of the halved marshmallows, one-third of the marshmallow sauce and one-third of the fresh raspberries.

Repeat this process two more times, making sure you see the layers on the side of the trifle bowl. When finished, top with chocolate curls for a final decorative element.

This Spicy Chocolate Trifle With Marshmallows and Raspberries is beautiful to look at, with the raspberries adding a pop of color throughout the final dish. This is a very rich dessert and you do not need large servings to satisfy your sweet tooth. One thing we found was that serving this dish a day later and heating up the individual serving was quite tasty as the ganache and marshmallow sauce became gooey. We hope you enjoy!