If you haven't tried this flavor combination before, you're in for a treat. Juicy peaches are mixed with dulce de leche and cream to create a delicious dessert. Sort of Eton mess meets a trifle type of recipe. It takes 10 minutes to put together if you have the components ready. The recipe includes variations to make it even easier!
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Originally published in 2013, the text and images in this post have been updated to serve you better. The recipe remains the same.
Do I have a treat for you today!
This is one of my favorite flavor combinations and a take on a very traditional dessert from Uruguay called Postre Chajá - in Spanish postre means dessert, and Chajá is a bird with fluffy wings.
I deconstructed it and made this fabulous peach trifle with layers of cream, gooey dulce de leche, and crushed meringue cookies.
Very easy to make during the summer and perfect to take advantage of fresh, juicy peaches.
Ingredient list
- Cake: use store-bought or homemade pound or butter cakes, vanilla or lemon flavored like this simple lemon pound cake or our favorite butter cake. For a more sophisticated trifle, you can try the lemon olive oil bundt cake or olive oil cake from Food52 if you want to add some liquor and orange to the flavor mix.
- Dulce de leche: you can make homemade dulce de leche following my tips. It's not hard and uses few ingredients, but it takes time. You can easily buy it online. I use dulce de leche Chimbote, dulce de leche Cachafaz, and San Ignacio milk caramel spread. If unavailable, use caramel sauce.
- Meringue cookies: they are dry meringues and will be crumbled, so the soft pavlova-style ones are not recommended.
- Peaches: the original dessert was made with canned peaches, which work well. I prefer to use fresh ones in season, but you can make it year-round with canned ones or use homemade peaches in syrup.
Whipped cream
Use whipping or heavy whipping cream that is fresh and good for whipping.
I know that sounds obvious, but dairy products vary in the percentage of water content, among other things. The more water, the less they hold and the easier they curdle, in my experience.
I never use light creams for this type of recipe because they don't have the right consistency or flavor.
Sour cream or cream cheese: I always add a few tablespoons to the cream before whipping. They add structure so it holds better after being whipped for a couple of days. But you can omit it.
About dulce de leche
It is a milk jam. Milk and sugar are cooked until thick and dark.
I use dulce de leche a lot because I'm from Argentina, and it's our jam, pun intended.
You can buy it online (see Notes in the recipe card below) or make your own dulce de leche. Spoiler alert: It takes some time, but it's worth it.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperatures, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Make-ahead: I like to make it 1 hour (or so) so the cake has time to soak the juices and the peaches to soften because I like them better that way.
- Customize: depending on your taste, use more or less cream, dulce de leche, or another fruit like fresh strawberries.
- Custard: add a layer of vanilla custard instead of, or in addition to, the whipped cream.
- Family-style: make it in a dish or bowl and serve it directly from it. It's great for barbecues and gatherings, even if it's only your family because of the current situation.
Related recipes you might like:
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Peaches and Cream Trifle
Juicy peaches are mixed with dulce de leche and cream to create a super easy and incredibly delicious dessert. Sort of Eton mess meets a trifle type of recipe. It takes minutes to put together if you have the components ready.
***The quantities are estimative, as with most trifle recipes. That is because it's a matter of personal taste if you like more or less fruit, more or less whipped cream, or even more layers.
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients
Per serving:
- ½ a fresh peach, sliced or diced (the latter is easier to eat)
- 1 slice lemon pound cake, or lemon olive oil cake, or lemon cream cake, see Notes below
- ⅓ cup whipped cream, see Notes below
- 2-3 Meringue cookies
- ⅓ cup dulce de leche, see Notes below for options
Instructions
- In a glass cup, jar or bowl of your choice start by putting the cake covering the bottom. I tear it up with my hands.
- Add the whipped cream.
- Arrange half the peach slices.
- Top them with the dulce de leche and the rest of the peach slices.
- Crush the meringue cookies on top.
- I like to put it for an hour or so in the refrigerator before serving to allow the juices to soak the cake and flavors to combine,
- Serve cold.
Notes
- Whipped cream: use 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar per ½ cup of cold whipping cream and beat until medium-soft peaks form (it makes 2 servings). Or use the recipe in the Black Forest Tarts which is firmer because it has some sour cream.
- Quantities: as explained in the description, the quantities are estimative. Take the recipe as a reference and add more or less of what you love or don't love. You can't really go wrong customizing a trifle. If you want to make more layers, halve the ingredients and double the layers.
- Cake: use a homemade or store-bought lemon cake. Or any cake that is sturdy. Vanilla flavored is also good, but missing that tang that lemon gives this dessert.
- Dulce de leche: you can buy dulce de leche online. Or make your own dulce de leche. Or use caramel instead. It's more liquid so it will soak the dessert more, but the flavor will still be very good.
- Prep Time: 20
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Layering
- Cuisine: International
Keywords: peach trifle
Kathy says
Lovely dessert…leaves me drooling!
Gloria Baker says
Tengo que hacer este triffle Paula Adoro el dulce de leche, se ve delicioso, besos
laurasmess.me says
Gorgeous, gorgeous post Paula! Argh, dulce de leche on its own is delicious enough, but I love the idea of adding it to pound cake and peaches. Can't wait to try your recipe xx
Beth says
Peaches and dulce de leche - what a perfect combination! She has a great blog and so do you.
Guru Uru says
Thanks for such a brilliant guest post on my blog my friend, while I study, I wish had a batch to keep me going 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Pink Patisserie says
I've not had peaches with dulce de leche before and now I'm wondering why the heck haven't I? Fantastic combination! Heading over to check it out!
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
This sounds yummy Paula! Heading over right now to check out the recipe. Delicious!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Paula, you are ruining my diet! IF I were on a diet...
Mary Callan says
Oh this looks so delicious
Mary x
Liz Berg says
You have been a guest posting fiend....and all so lovely and delicious! I especially love this trifle and will pop over to say hi to Uru and see your recipe!