This terrific trifle is layered with decadent whipped cream, smooth pumpkin, crunchy brownie brittle, and white chocolate ganache. A dessert fit to dazzle a crowd!
Trifles are desserts that are meant to be looked at. Layers of sweet decadence, one after the other, are placed in a clear, tall serving dish so that everyone can see what’s in it. If you’re trying to show off at a holiday gathering or potluck dinner, bring a trifle. In fact, bring this pumpkin, brownie brittle, and white chocolate ganache trifle—especially if it’s fall.
This trifle takes my vote for the most beautiful festive dessert out there. It’s rich, with white chocolate ganache whipped up like frosting, layered on top of pumpkin pie filling. A layer of crushed brownie brittle goes between the chocolate and more pumpkin. Light and fluffy whipped cream is near the top, of course—you don’t want to squish the whip—along with the addicting crunch of brownie brittle on top of the whole thing.
Despite its undeniable beauty, this trifle comes together relatively quickly. The pumpkin pie filling is ready after opening the can, and homemade whipped cream is a breeze as long as you have an electric mixer. The only layer that needs some extra TLC is the white chocolate ganache, so definitely make it first. Once it’s assembled, it’s ready for a party!
Is This Pumpkin Trifle With Brownie Brittle And Chocolate Ganache Healthy?
Sometimes, beauty comes at a cost. By no means is this trifle healthy. Due to the heavy cream and chocolate, it contains a lot of fat and not very much protein. There’s quite a bit of sugar per serving, too. The pumpkin gives this dessert a little more fiber than you’d expect, though, and all the dairy does provide calcium. To make this trifle a little healthier, you can replace the pumpkin pie filling with a homemade version that uses a natural sugar substitute to sweeten.
This dish is gluten-free and is suitable for vegetarians. To make this dessert vegan will take some work: you’ll need to use coconut cream for the ganache and whipped cream, purchase non-dairy white chocolate, find non-dairy brownie brittle, and ensure your pumpkin pie filling doesn’t contain dairy.
Pumpkin Trifle Remix
Trifles are made of layers, and layers are easy to swap, so trifles are the perfect dish to experiment with. Here are a few swaps I’ve made in the past:
- Add Some Fruit: The only thing this pumpkin trifle doesn’t have, in my opinion, is a fruit (well, technically, pumpkin is a fruit, I know), so I like to add some sliced strawberries to the top layer instead of brownie brittle.
- Go Dark: Swap the white chocolate for dark chocolate and make half the quantity of whipped ganache. This gives you a thinner layer of dark chocolate that complements the rest of the trifle layers perfectly.
- Make Real Brownies: To up the decadence factor significantly, don’t bother with brownie brittle. Make real brownies instead, cut them into pieces after they cool, and place the brownies underneath the whipped cream.
Feel free to play around with the layers of your trifle and come up with the dessert of your dreams! The only rule to keep in mind is to put heavier, dense layers toward the bottom of the trifle. The lighter stuff—like whipped cream—should go on or near the top of the dessert.
How To Make Ahead And Store
Leftover trifle will be good for up to 2 days in the fridge; keep it covered in its serving dish or transfer it to smaller airtight containers (the layers might be less defined). I don’t recommend freezing this
Serving Suggestions
This trifle is an amazing dessert served with a little pick-me-up, such as an Iced Latte or a hot espresso, depending on the weather. I like to have a heavy dessert like this after a light dinner, like this Strawberry Chicken Salad or this Easy Mediterranean Low-Carb Broccoli Salad. But you could just as easily serve this after a rich holiday dinner, too!
Ingredients
For the White Chocolate Whipped Ganache:
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 12 ounces white chocolate chopped
For the Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
For the Layers:
- 60 ounces pumpkin pie filling
- 4 cups brownie brittle crushed
Instructions
Make the Ganache:
- In a medium saucepan on medium heat, pour in 3/4 cup of the whipping cream and heat until it's nearly boiling. Remove the pot from the heat, add in the chopped white chocolate and let the chocolate stand in the cream for 30 seconds. Once 30 seconds are up, whisk the chocolate into the cream vigorously until it is smooth and melted.
- Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until it cools and is the consistency of pudding, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Make sure you don't chill it too long, as you don't want the ganache to become solid, so check it starting at 30 minutes.
- Transfer the cooled ganache to a large bowl. Whip it on high speed with an electric mixer until it is light-colored, fluffy, and has the consistency of frosting, which takes about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Make the Whipped Cream:
- Using a hand mixer, whip the 1 cup of whipping cream in a large bowl on high speed until stiff peaks just about form. Add in the powdered sugar and beat a few more seconds until light and fluffy. Make sure you don't overwhip, or your whipped cream will turn into butter! Store in the fridge until you're ready to add it to the trifle.
Assemble:
- Pour one of the cans of pumpkin pie filling into a trifle dish and spread out evenly, making sure the edges are very neat.
- Then, gently spoon all of the whipped ganache over the pumpkin and gently spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle 3 cups of the crushed brownie brittle over the white chocolate layer.
- Pour the remaining can of pumpkin pie filling over top of the brownie brittle, and smooth out evenly.
- Gently spread the whipped cream over the pumpkin layer, and then top with remaining brownie brittle crumbs.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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