Layers of dense chocolate brownie, homemade cherry pie filling, and fresh whipped cream come together in this decadent layered dessert.
My husband is a huge fan of black forest cake–and chocolate covered cherries too–so any time I come up with a chocolate-cherry dessert it’s sure to be a hit. And these Individual Black Forest Brownie Trifles were no exception.
I mean, what’s not to love about layers of chewy brownie, homemade cherry sauce and fresh whipped cream? Nothing, I say. Not one thing!
Yes, you could use canned cherry pie filling, but homemade cherry pie filling is oh so easy to make (with the help of a cherry pitter) and totally worth the extra bit of effort.
If you’re looking to save time with this recipe, go for store-bought brownies (that’s what I did!) and put your efforts into the cherry filling. It’s what makes this dessert extra special!
You could also make these trifles with cubed chocolate cake. I prefer the dense, chewy texture of a brownie, but I certainly wouldn’t turn down a version of this dessert made with chocolate cake.
I mean, as long as there’s chocolate in there somewhere, you’ll be good. If you don’t have individual trifle bowls or similar sized glass dishes, you can assemble this dessert in a full size, standard-size trifle dish.
The number of desserts you’ll get is going to vary, based on the size of the dishes you use. With my mini trifle bowls I get four or five servings. But you could get even more using something like mini Mason jars and just doing one layer.
Either way, everyone is going to love this luscious Black Forest Brownie Trifles.
Be sure to save this recipe for Individual Black Forest Brownie Trifles to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Tips for Choosing and Storing Cherries
Appearance: Look for firm fruit with a deep, dark red color. You don’t need to worry about a lack of stem, but any stem present should be bright green. If cherries appear wrinkled around the stem, they are probably okay to eat, but not the freshest
Storage: Store cherries in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for 3–5 days, and possibly up to two weeks. If you’d like to use your cherries immediately, store them at room temperature.
Wash cherries with cold water just before eating. Don’t wash them ahead of time, as they may absorb moisture, leading to splits or spoilage. Cherries can also be frozen. You can pit them, or keep them whole with stems intact. Spread cherries in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until firm, and then place in a zip-top bag or freezer safe container.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Individual Black Forest Brownie Trifles
- Brownies
- Cherries
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Whipping cream
Individual Black Forest Brownie Trifles
Ingredients
- 1 square 9×9-inch pan brownies, store bought or from your favorite mix or recipe
- 4 cups fresh cherries pitted
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- Chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cut brownies into 1-inch cubes; set aside
- In a medium saucepan whisk together 1/2 cup sugar, water and cornstarch. Stir in cherries and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Simmer for 10-15 minutes until cherries begin to soften and mixture thickens and resembles pie filling; cool.
- Meanwhile, whip heavy cream and 2 tablespoons sugar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Divide half of the brownies between 4 individual glass bowls, followed by half of the cherry filling, then half of the whipped cream. Repeat once more, ending with whipped cream.
- Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: This is an original recipe.
10 comments
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Wow! Thank you! I constantly wanted to write on my site something like that. Can I take a portion of your post to my website?
Danelle
Yes, the brownies would soak up some of the moisture from the cherries, but they would still taste fine.
Patti
Could this be made the day before?
Susan F
These are so pretty. Would it work to use thawed, frozen cherries in this recipe?
Danelle
I think it probably would. I’d love to know how it turns out if you decide to give it a try!
Susan F
Thanks for responding so quickly Danelle! I was trying to decide what to make for a pre-prom dinner I am hosting for some high school students, and knew this would be perfect when I found it on my pin board.I will definitely let you know how they turn out! Most trifles I have made actually improve if allowed to sit overnight. Have you ever done that with these, or do they need to be eaten immediately after being assembled?
ingrid
I can’t wait to make this for my mom! About a month or so ago she raved about a chocolate & cherry dessert “shot” she tried at a wedding. Thanks for sharing!
~ingrid
Dina
looks delish!
Gina
You know- I’m going to have to make this- like right now. Oh my it looks so good.
Cindy Harris
I love anything ‘black forest’. These look wonderful!