Patriotic Berry Trifle

You have no idea how much I have missed food, blogging, working on my cookbook, and did I mention food? I am finally feeling so much better and our crazy month of family events came to an end. I am 15 weeks along now. Food and more importantly cooking, is enjoyable again (for which my family is grateful). To celebrate my lack of nausea, I made a patriotic dessert I have had on my "to try" list for a couple of weeks. It did not disappoint! Pretty to look at and even better to eat!

Patriotic Berry Trifle

1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 pre-made angel food cake, cut into 1 inch slices

2 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, at room temp

2 cups heavy cream, at room temp

2 pints blueberries

2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

Heat 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan over med-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.

Brush both sides of each slice of cake with syrup. Cut the slices into 1 inch cubes.

Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light. Add the cream and beat on med-high speed until smooth and consistency of whipped cream.

Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13 cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Dollop half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake on top of the strawberries, then sprinkle with more blueberries and top with remaining whipped cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Serves 8-10

source: food network magazine