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The hustle and bustle of the holiday season always gets me a little anxious, so I try my best to take a deep breath and live in the moment.
The festivities make me, sometimes, think that every single thing needs to be perfect and over the top, but that's really not so. In fact, some of the simplest things, like an unadorned garland of greens or a single sprig of mistletoe, can be just as festive as a tree that's been loaded with ornaments on every single branch.
This caramel pear cheesecake trifle recipe is a simple dessert that's just as dazzling as the most ornately decorated Yule log, but takes just minutes to prepare with the star of the show being my favorite food item of the season: Harry & David Royal Riviera Pears.
We encourage you to make this trifle ahead of time because it tastes even better the longer it sits in the fridge (within reason, of course). I found that when I made it the night before the flavors had a chance to dance around and mingle overnight making every single bite one blissful event after another. And since it's so easy to make, this one doesn't have to wait for a special occasion; you could serve this up just about any night of the week.
This recipe takes advantage of a few shortcuts, like ready-made caramel sauce, a bakery pound cake (or your own favorite recipe), fresh Royal Riviera Pears and a no-bake cheesecake filling that beats up in one bowl in about two minutes flat.
SERVINGS
- 4 5-ounce ramekins
- 12 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 9-inch pound cake ( cut into 1 inch cubes)
- 8 ounces caramel sauce
- 3 Harry & David® Royal Riviera® Pears (peeled, cored and diced)
- 2 tablespoons sea salt flakes (optional)
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until light, fluffy and smooth. Set aside.
- Divide half the pound cake between 4 5-ounce ramekins and line the bottom of each with the pound cake cubes. Spoon two tablespoons caramel sauce over the pound cake in each dish.
Divide half the pears among the four dishes then spoon 4 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture over the pears. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients topping with the remaining caramel sauce. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
Chill the trifles in the fridge for three hours or overnight before serving.
