End your dinner on a sweet note with an easy-to-whip-together trifle. The deceptively simple dessert blends the classic Italian pairing of strawberries and sweet balsamic vinegar with lighter-than-air ladyfingers. What really sets it apart from other desserts is the chocolate-balsamic glaze and mascarpone whipped cream. The rich glaze is as simple as reducing balsamic vinegar to a syrupy consistency, then adding dark chocolate.
Chocolate-Balsamic Stawberry Trifles with Mascarpone Whipped Cream
Equipment
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- Glass Liquid Measuring Cups
- 7-Speed Digital Hand Mixer
- 9" Wire Whisk
- 2-Quart Saucier
- Glass Nesting Bowls
- 8" Chef's Knife
- 18 x 24-Inch Plastic Cutting Board
Ingredients
THE STRAWBERRIES, TOSS
- 1 ½ cups Hulled, quartered or halved fresh strawberries
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. Sugar
THE GLAZE, COMBINE
- ⅔ cup Balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp. Sugar
- 1 ½ oz. Bittersweet bar chocolate, chopped
THE WHIPPED CREAM, BEAT
- ¼ cup Mascarpone
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- 1 tbsp. Sugar
- ½ tsp. Vanilla bean paste or extract
THE TRIFLES, LAYER
- 1 ½ cups Diced purchased ladyfingers (1.5 oz.)
Instructions
The Strawberries
- Toss together strawberries, 1 Tbsp. vinegar, and 1 Tbsp. sugar in a bowl; season with pepper.
The Glaze
- Combine ⅔ cup vinegar and 3 Tbsp. sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce mixture to ⅓ cup, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat; whisk in chocolate until melted, then let cool slightly.
The Whipped Cream
- Beat mascarpone on medium speed with a mixer until fluffy, 1 minute. Add cream, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and vanilla bean paste; whip until thick and light, 2–3 minutes.
The Trifles
- Layer a quarter each of the ladyfingers, strawberries, mascarpone cream, and chocolate-balsamic glaze into two individual serving dishes; repeat layering.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
1 servings per container
- Amount Per ServingCalories657
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
46g
71%
- Saturated Fat 26g 130%
- Cholesterol 169mg 57%
- Sodium 81mg 4%
- Total Carbohydrate
63g
21%
- Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
- Protein 8g 16%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

