Dark chocolate and berry trifle with Chantilly cream cheese

Ingredients:

Berry jelly: 

• 2 packets (80g each) raspberry jelly
• 1 cup (250ml) raspberries
• 1 cup (250ml) strawberries, quartered

Chocolate sponge:

• ½ cup (125g) butter, softened
• 1¼ cup (285g) castor sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk
• 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla seeds or essence
• ½ cup (125ml) strong coffee
• 2 cups (500ml) self-raising flour
• ½ cup (60g) dark chocolate cocoa
• ½ tsp (3ml) salt
• ½ cup (85g) dark chocolate, melted

Chantilly cream cheese: 

• 2 tubs (500ml) cream
• ½ cup (125ml) castor sugar
• 1 cup (250ml) cream cheese
• Lemon juice to taste
• 1 cup (250ml) icing sugar

• 1 packet (100g) almonds, toasted
• 1 tub (1kg) chocolate mousse
• Strawberries, raspberries and mint and meringue kisses, for serving

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C and line a 23cm cake tin with baking paper.
2. Prepare jelly according to packet instructions then pour into trifle dish and allow to semi-set before stirring in berries.
3. Return to the fridge and allow to set completely.
4. For the sponge, whisk butter and sugar until pale, fluffy and triple in volume.
5. Add eggs one at a time, combining fully each time.
6. Whisk in buttermilk, vanilla and coffee.
7. Sift flour and cocoa together, add salt and combine with egg mixture.
8. Fold through melted chocolate and pour batter into prepared tin.
9. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
10. Cool on a rack and cut into roughly 5cm cubes.
11. For the Chantilly cream cheese, whip cream and castor sugar to medium peaks and chill.
12. Whip cream cheese and lemon juice together and add icing sugar.
13. Add a quarter chilled whipped cream and mix well.
14. Fold through remaining cream and chill in fridge.
15. Arrange cake cubes on top of set jelly, sprinkle with almonds and spoon over chocolate mousse.
16. Serve topped with Chantilly cream cheese, fresh berries, mint and meringue kisses.

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