Mini Chocolate & Fruit Trifles

Fruit Trifles have been a favorite at holiday gatherings - layered with a piece of sponge cake, topped with whipped cream, fresh fruits, chocolate, nuts and your favorite toppings, they not only look elegant, but are the perfect end to a holiday dinner! So I tried to re-create the magic of trifles, albeit, in a smaller size, which suits perfectly for individual servings. Layered with fresh bananas, berries, mixed-fruit puree, whipping cream, rich swiss-mocha chocolate syrup and crushed chocolate cookies, these Mini Fruit & Chocolate Trifles are all set to win you tonnes of accolades at your next party!

Inspired by traditional trifles, I was tempted to try a miniature version which not only looks pretty, but can also be relished as a dessert without much guilt! Instead of sponge cake, I used bite-sized brownie pieces, and some fresh chocolate ganache made by melting my Swiss-mocha chocolates. I blended some mixed berries for my fruit puree, and chopped some bananas as they go great with both chocolate, and cream! And the crushed cocoa-cookies were the final touch - you can never imagine a tiny serving could hold so much flavor within!

Ingredients
Makes 4 mini trifles

4 brownie-bites - (or two brownie pieces, cut into 4 each)
1 large banana - chopped or sliced
1 oz of your favorite chocolate
4 tbsp + 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (sweet)
mixed berries - blended (or other fruit topping)
4 tbsp sugar - for the fruits, if required
crushed cookies - for garnish
4 drops lemon juice - for the bananas
a pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Method
Transfer the berries to a pan on low-heat; add the sugar and let the fruit macerate for about 8-10 mins. Remove excess water/syrup and keep the fruit aside. You can even puree it if you like.

Take the chocolate pieces in a microwave-safe bowl and add 2 tbsp whipping cream to it. Stir and heat for 30 sec. Then remove, stir again, and repeat two more times to form a thick chocolate ganache.

Slice the bananas and sprinkle some lemon juice and nutmeg over it to prevent them from getting brown; nutme adds a lovely flavor too!

Now cut the brownies into small pieces and keep aside. Coarsely grind the cookies and keep aside.

Whip the remaining 4 tbsp cream till it becomes a little stiff and holds shape.

Assembling the Trifle
Take the bowls/cups that you are going to serve the trifle in. Layer with the brownie bites, followed by the sliced bananas. Top this with the chocolate ganache, followed by the whipped cream and the fruit puree. Repeat with another layer of everything. Finally, sprinkle the crushed cookies on the top. Add a creme wafer for garnish.

There, the perfect Fruit & Chocolate Trifle to end a fun-filled evening! it serves to be an excellent individual dessert, and the best part, it can be improvised to use whatever fruits you have on hand!

Related Recipes:
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling