White Chocolate Cheesecake Trifle with Summer Fruit

Instructions

To prepare the Sponge Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan with parchment paper but do NOT grease the sides. Greasing the sides will not allow the cake to rise well and since the cake is cooled in the pan, the ungreased sides provide support for the cake as it cools so that it will not shrink.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using a whisk attachment, combine the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium high speed for about 10 minutes until the mixture is foamy and pale in colour.
3. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium low and with the mixer running, begin to continuously sprinkle in rounded tablespoons of the flour. Stop the mixer as soon as the flour is fully incorporated.
4. Remove 1 to 2 cups of the sponge cake batter and mix it with the melted butter.
5. Immediately add this mixture back into the main batter, folding it in very gently with a rubber spatula. Make sure the butter mixture is fully mixed in but be careful not to over mix the batter when folding as this can cause the batter to deflate.

Baking the cake

1. Pour the batter into the prepared 9 inch spring form pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the top springs back fully when pressed lightly. Watch this cake closely as it will over bake easily if left for 5 minutes too long. Start checking it at the 40 minute mark just to be sure, although it always takes the full 45 minutes in my oven.
2. Cool the cake completely IN THE PAN for at least a couple of hours before carefully and slowly running a sharp knife around the outside edge of the pan to release the cake from the sides.
3. Release the sides of the spring form pan and peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake.
4. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the cake into small cubes.

To prepare the White Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse

1. Heat the 1/3 cup whipping cream almost to boiling and pour over the white chocolate chips in a small bowl or measuring cup.
2. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before stirring until smooth.
3. Meanwhile beat the 1 cup of whipping cream together with the icing sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
4. Remove from the bowl and set aside. Add the cream cheese to the mixer bowl and beat to soften it before mixing in the melted white chocolate.
5. Finally, fold the whipped cream into this mixture gently to keep the mousse light.

To construct the trifle

1. First reserve the best looking fruits and berries to garnish the top of the trifle.
2. Add half of the cubes of cake to the bottom of a large trifle dish; a 3 quart size or larger. I like to fit them in neatly, so they take up less space.
3. Next sprinkle the cake layer with a couple of ounces of the cherry brandy.
4. Add half of the fruit followed by a layer of half of the cheesecake mixture.
5. Repeat the layers again.
6. Beat the 2/3 cup of whipping cream together with the vanilla extract and icing sugar to make the Vanilla Whipped Cream.
7. Pipe a border of whipped cream around the edge or just dollop tablespoons of the whipped cream around the edge of the bowl.
8. Garnish with the reserved fruits and berries.
9. Chill for several hours before serving.