Progressive Dinner Party: Dessert course - Chocolate Trifle

We're testing the theory that one can never have too much chocolate today at the Book Bloggers' Progressive Dinner Party, where we have moved on to the dessert course! I hope you've had the chance to devour Devourer of Books' delicious fudge. Now, I hope you'll settle in around my table for one of my family's favorites - Chocolate Trifle.

This recipe came to me from my sister, who received it from our aunt. I love this dessert because it's satisfying in so many ways - it makes a beautiful presentation, tastes great, and is ridiculously easy to make, with a little help from your friends in the baking-mix aisle! I brought this along the first time I had dinner with my then-boyfriend's (now husband) parents, and it made a very good impression on them.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 box chocolate cake mix (your choice of flavor, but I usually use devil's food - might as well go for it!)
• 2 boxes chocolate-mousse mix (either milk or dark chocolate, depending on your preference)
• 2 8-oz. tubs whipped topping
  
• 4 toffee candy bars, broken into small pieces, or 1 cup toffee baking chips
  
• A large glass trifle dish (as pictured) or mixing/serving bowl
  

Here's what to do:

• Prepare and bake chocolate cake according to package directions for 2 round 8- or 9-inch pans. After removing cakes from oven, let cool briefly and then remove from pans. Cool the layers on plates or racks until they are cool enough to handle (an hour or so is usually sufficient).
  
• While cake is baking, prepare chocolate mousse according to package directions and refrigerate until the cake layers have cooled.
• Place one layer of cake in bottom of trifle dish (if it doesn't fit easily, it's OK to break it into smaller pieces).
• Spoon ½ the chocolate mousse on top of the cake and spread over it as evenly as possible.
• Spoon 1 tub of the whipped topping over the mousse and spread as evenly as possible.
• Sprinkle half the toffee chips over the whipped topping.
• Repeat the layers. It should look somewhat like the picture above (via AllRecipes.com)
  
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Spoon into bowls and serve.

Notes:

• I usually use nonfat milk to make the mousse, and fat-free whipped topping; they don't hurt the taste or appearance, and they make this dessert slightly less indulgent.
• If you have the expertise, ambition, and time, you could make any or all of the ingredients in this trifle from scratch, except possibly the toffee chips. I've never done it, but I bet it would turn out just fine.

I'm also serving coffee and tea with dessert - please help yourself!


When you're ready to move on, you're invited to visit A Well-Watered Garden to enjoy some Imperial Sugar Cookies! Thanks so much for stopping by, and Happy Holidays!


The Progressive Dinner Party is hosted by Nicole, Julie, and Amy at the Book Blog Social Club. Please drop in there to check out all the participants and their contributions to the feast!