Summer Berry Parfaits

It’s berry season and time for Summer Berry Parfaits! Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries are sweet, delicious and readily available at the corner store, farmer’s market or even in your backyard.  This week I made a yummy dessert highlighting these fresh fruits.  It’s absolutely delicious with layers of berries, crunchy sugar cookie crumbles and creamy white chocolate filling.  If you are a cheesecake lover, this dessert may bump it out of first place! This is one of those recipes that won’t leave you with any leftovers!  Try this treat guaranteed to sweeten your day!

Summer Berry Parfaits

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 cups fresh mixed berries or choose your favorite, reserve some for garnish
• 18 Pepperidge Farms Sugar Cookies, coarsely crushed, reserve some for garnish
• Whipped cream for topping

Directions:

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese and cream on medium speed until smooth, about 10 seconds. Melt the white chocolate until smooth. Add the melted chocolate to the cream mixture and beat on medium speed until completely blended and slightly thickened, about 60 seconds. Beat until smooth.

 Have ready six to eight parfait glasses. Put two heaping tablespoons of the fresh berries in the bottom of each glass. Spoon a heaping two tablespoons of the cream mixture over the berries. Sprinkle with a heaping tablespoon of the coarsely crushed cookies.

Repeat with layers of the berries, cream mixture and cookies, ending with the cream mixture. Make as many layers as you can in each glass. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours. The longer the parfaits chill, the more the cookie crumbs will soften. I prefer the cookies to be crunchy, so I dish them just prior to serving. Garnish with berries, whipped cream and crushed cookies. Makes approximately 6-8 servings. Delicious!