5 Ingredients: Berry Trifle with Amaretto

What better to enjoy sweet and juicy seasonal berries than in a fresh and light dessert? This recipe is a showstopper at parties and picnics -- the calories and fat are very reasonable and it’s as simple as 5 ingredients.
Dana's 5-Ingredient Berry Trifle

This week on Healthy Eats, we're celebrating summer berries -- strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are all at their juicy, delicious peak! This fresh, light trifle is a showstopper at parties and picnics, and our version has a reasonable amount of fat and calories.  It's as simple as 5 ingredients -- read on to see how it's made.

Berry Trifle with Amaretto
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
1/2 cup heavy cream (yields 1 cup whipped cream)
2 cups low-fat vanilla pudding
2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
8-ounces store-bought angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups berries

Equipment: large glass serving bowl or trifle dish

The Trifle Ingredients: Angel Food Cake, Berries, Amaretto, Pudding and Whipped Cream
Heavy Cream (Whipped Cream)

Layers upon layers of whipped cream will pile on the calories and fat. Since one tablespoon of whipped cream has about 25 calories and 2.5 grams of fat, you need to use it sparingly. The trick is to top the trifle with one layer, so every bite has a hint of that creamy goodness. We keep the cream unsweetened to save a few extra calories – you don’t need any additional sweetness with the rest of the ingredients.

Angel Food Cake

Another way to keep the calories under control is to use fluffy angel food cake. You can certainly make your own, but take some help from the store here and buy one. This cake is made with egg whites, so it’s light, airy and fat free.

Vanilla Pudding

To replace some of the high-fat whipped cream, we used low fat pudding (made with one-percent milk). We recommend making your own (it’s easier than you think) but you can certainly use pre-made or instant – just choose a brand without artificial sweeteners.

Amaretto Liqueur

To liven up the vanilla pudding, add a splash of almond liqueur. The almond flavor goes so well with the sweet-tart berries. If you don’t want to use alcohol, substitute with a teaspoon of pure almond or vanilla extract.

Berries

The stars of this trifle are the fresh berries. We used strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, but you can substitute whatever you’ve got on hand.

Directions:

Whip cream using a whisk or mixer until stiff peaks form– set aside. Add Amaretto to pudding and mix well to combine. Place half of the angel food cake in the bottom of a trifle dish in one even layer. Top with half of the pudding, followed by half of the berries. Repeat with remaining cake, pudding and berries. Top with a thin layer of whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Info Per Serving:
Calories: 205 calories
Total Fat: 4 grams
Saturated Fat: 2 grams
Total Carbohydrate: 38 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Sodium: 300 milligrams
Cholesterol: 14 milligrams
Fiber: 2 grams

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition. See Dana's full bio »

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