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Satisfy your sweet cravings with this irresistible “Choffy” Chocolate Cherry Brownie Trifle, a dessert that’s sure to impress at any occasion. It’s even more special if made into individual servings for your next outdoor gathering!

This post is being sponsored by my friends at Choffy featuring their amazing Ecuador French Roast blend. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting partnerships with brands I trust and believe in.

Have you heard of “Choffy”?!!

If not, don’t worry, I hadn’t either until a friend called me one day. She shared that she had found a wonderful new substitute for coffee! It was made from cocoa beans (cacao) that have been roasted and uniquely ground, then packaged so that it can be brewed into a delicious, brewed cacao drink! Much like coffee only without all the caffeine!

I was a little skeptical. Okay…I was a LOT skeptical!

I grew up with grandparents who were constantly on the search for a “coffee substitute”. You know “those” coffee substitutes of the 70s and 80s! (Insert a scrunched up facial expression!) Please forgive me for this…but it just wasn’t “my cup of tea coffee”! (I don’t even drink coffee, or tea, but I knew that if I did, it wouldn’t be with those substitutions!)

My friend assured me that Choffy was different and invited me to come visit the Choffy factory for a tour and a taste test! I accepted, and well… I became an instant fan! Needless to say, Choffy has become the newest family member at this Nest! We LOVE it!

My new friends at Choffy asked me if I would be willing to create a recipe using Choffy. I was more than eager and excited to accept their offer! Who doesn’t like to play with chocolate?!

With the upcoming grilling season bearing down on us, I knew a fun, individual, delicious, rich dessert, spotlighting the decadent chocolate found in Choffy would be a perfect fit!

So, grab your apron, brew a pot of “Choffy”, gather a few ingredients, and let’s get cooking!

Ingredients for Individual Brownie Trifles

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package of Brownie Mix. I used Betty Crocker Supreme Triple Chunk brownie mix. Use your favorite brand of brownie mix.
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup brewed Choffy. Divided, I used Ecuador Dark Roast for a richer roasted flavor. Feel free to use your favorite flavor, and roast, of Choffy.
• ¼ cup brewed Choffy Grounds. (Note these are “used” Choffy grounds. Please read the details below)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2½ cups heavy whipping cream, OR 1(8 oz) container of Cool-whip and 1 (12 oz) container of Cool-whip.
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract – optional, but highly recommended
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 (21 ounce) cans Duncan Hines Wilderness More Fruit Cherry Pie Filling and Topping – You will only use 1 and ½ cans of cherry pie filling. Save the remainder for topping.
• Chocolate curls – optional
• 6 – pint mason jars, washed and dried with lids.

How to make Cherry Brownie Trifles

This dessert looks impressive and difficult to make. However, it is so easy and a great beginner’s recipe that is sure to impress your guests!

Preheat the oven to 350° (F) (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9-inch baking pan. Spray the bottom of the pan with non-stick cooking spray and line with parchment paper, sized to fit your pan.

PRO TIP: I used paper clips to hold the parchment paper in place! Please note you can use either a glass or metal baking pan for this recipe.

Preparing and Baking Brownies

In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix, egg, ¼ cup brewed, cooled, Choffy and ¼ cup vegetable oil.

In a small bowl add ¼ cup of brewed Choffy grounds. These are grounds leftover after brewing a pot of Choffy. Add enough brewed Choffy to cover the grounds. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the soaked grounds to the brownie mix. I know! Yes…you’re going to add those grounds to the brownie batter! You’re just going to have to trust me on this and remember that “Choffy grounds” are literally ground up cocoa beans!

The depth of flavor, and added moisture, this one step adds to this brownie recipe is AMAZING! I like to think of Choffy grounds as grated “baking chocolate”. It is a little bitter, like unsweetened baking chocolate, but add it to a sweetened batter and you have an ultra-decadent chocolaty treat! Best bakers secret out there my friends!

Using a wooden spoon, or silicone spatula, mix until well-blended, about 50 strokes. There…you have your cardio in for the day! You’re welcome!

Spread the brownie batter into your prepared baking pan.

Bake in a preheated oven until a toothpick inserted 1 inch in from the edges comes out clean. About 30–35 minutes.

PRO-TIP: Do NOT insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies because it will NOT come out clean, and you will over-bake your brownies! Brownies are supposed to be a bit fudgy in the center.

Remove the brownies from the oven and let cool completely for about 30–40 minutes.

TIP: You can make the brownies the day beforehand. Let them cool, cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the trifle. Keep in mind that these trifles need to chill for 8 hours!

Cut the cooled brownies into ½-inch squares for individual trifle servings, and 1-inch squares if making a traditional trifle in a large trifle bowl.

Making Easy Chocolate Mousse Filling

In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk, the remaining ½ cup of cooled, brewed Choffy, and chocolate pudding mix.

Mix until as smooth as possible, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Note I mention “as smooth as possible”. That’s because the chocolate pudding will remain semi-gritty. If you mix until it’s completely smooth, have someone around to pick your arm up off the floor! Lol

In the bowl of your stand mixer, add 2½ cups of cold heavy whipping cream. Mix on high until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

You can substitute the real whipped cream for 1 (8 oz) container of cool-whip and 1 (12 oz) container of cool-whip. I prefer the flavor, and texture, of real whipped cream in this dish, but as always, you do you! Whatever works and is easiest for you.

Add 6 tablespoons of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of almond extract, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla to the whipped cream. Continue to whip until incorporated.

TIP: Heavy whipping cream doesn’t have much flavor and is pretty unstable unless you add powder sugar to sweeten and stabilize it. The extracts add flavor. You do not have to add the almond extract, but I love the flavor combined with the cherry pie filling.

Add 2 cups of the whipped cream to the chocolate pudding mixture.

Fold in the whipped cream, or cool-whip, until no streaks remain.

Using 2 piping bags, or 2 large gallon-sized Ziploc bags, fill one with the chocolate mousse pudding mixture, and the other with the remaining whipped cream. Snip the end off each pipping bag, or the corner of each Ziploc bag.

This will make it easier to get the various layers down into the mason jars for individual serving sizes.

How to create Mini Choffy Black Forest trifle’s

This is where the fun part begins!

Using washed and dried, 6-pint jars, place a layer of brownies on the bottom of each jar.

NOTE: If you need more than 6 servings, you’ll need to double this recipe, which is really easy to do!

Next, pipe a layer of chocolate mousse over the top of each brownie layer.

You can see where we’re going with this, right?

Next up is the cherry pie filling. Followed by a piped layer of whipped cream. Then start over again. A layer of brownie, chocolate pudding-mousse, and cherry pie filling. Skip the last layer of whipped cream. You’ll add that later.

Place the lids on top of each jar. Chill for 8 hours before serving.

Finishing Touches

I decorated each jar using a fun red plaid fabric to cover the lids, and a red plaid ribbon around the ring, with a handmade label for each dessert jar. I also attached a red checkered wooden spoon to each mason jar, so all my guests had to do was grab a jar and dig in!

Create a “topping bar” where your guests can finish their individual trifles with their own toppings. A few suggestions… a bowl of whipped cream, different sprinkles, chocolate curls, chopped candy bars, crushed Oreo’s, chocolate chips, slivered almonds, etc. Make it fun!

If it’s for a holiday gathering or summer BBQ, have fun cupcake pokes for your guests to place on top.

PRO-TIP: If you’re not a fan of cherry pie filling, you have several options. One, you can just skip the cherry pie filling. You can swap the cherry pie filling for raspberry pie filling. If you’re a fan of chocolate and orange…you could add orange marmalade for the cherry pie filling. There are so many options for this recipe. I always encourage creativity in the kitchen!

Final Tips and Thoughts

This dessert can be made into a traditional Chocolate Choffy Trifle! It’s a stunning showstopper, as you can see from the photo below! Yes! I’ve eaten this yummy dessert several times in the “test kitchen”… Perks of the job!

Serve this dessert with Iced Hazelnut Choffy! What could be better than that combo? A Choffy dessert with a Choffy beverage! Whoa!

This is a scrumptious, yet easy-to-make dessert that is sure to be a hit at your next family get-together. You’ll love the subtle hints of roasted Choffy in each bite of brownie, combined with the rich fluffy texture of the chocolate pudding mousse, and the punch of sweetened tart cherries.

I could go on and on about why I love “Choffy” and why it has become a staple at my Nest. I love our morning routines, mine and my favorite blend of Choffy. It’s the best way to start my day!

I think the good folks at Choffy say it best… “Enjoy the Pure Bliss of Chocolate with all the Benefits of Cacao”!

I hope you’ll stop by and visit my friends at Choffy. If you haven’t tried Choffy yet, I really hope you will. It’s a delicious product with so many benefits, and it’s fun to bake with as well!

Other Favorite Chocolate Desserts

• Chocolate Walnut Snack Cake
• Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Dip
• Easy Chocolate Pecan Chess Pie
• Choffy Crème brûlée from Choffy
• Choffy Tiramisu from Choffy
• Choffy Chocolate Mousse from Choffy

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