Heaven In A Bowl Is Simply Divine

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Heaven in a bowl is an easy but decadent trifle that will impress all of your guests. The flavors resemble the best peanut butter pie, but it's all assembled in an easy-to-transport trifle form. Pieces of brownie are piled between a peanut butter-pudding "custard," chunks of peanut butter cups, and sweetened whipped cream. The result is a perfect salty-sweet mixture that will disappear by the spoonful. The chewy texture of the brownie and the crunch of the chocolate peanut butter cups helps hold structure while enveloped in the sweet nutty whipped cream cheese filling. You won't need to let this dessert sit long. It's nearly perfect the moment it's finished.

Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
12
Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl ready to serve

Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cold heavy cream

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided

  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter

  • 3 cups whole milk

  • 1 (5.1-oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix (such as Jell-O)

  • 2 (18-oz.) pkg. premium double chocolate brownie mix (such as Ghirardelli), prepared according to package instructions in 8-in. square pans

  • 3 (7.6-oz.) pkg. mini unwrapped peanut butter cups, roughly chopped (such as Reese’s), divided

Directions

  1. Gather ingredients:

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl ingredients

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

  2. Make whipped cream:

    Beat heavy cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 20 more seconds. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl whipping the cream mixture

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

  3. Make pudding mixture:

    Combine cream cheese and peanut butter in another large bowl, beat with an electric mixer on high speed until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add milk, pudding mix, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and beat on low speed until starting to thicken. Increase speed to medium and continue to beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 1 minute.  

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl making the peanut butter mixture

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

  4. Combine pudding mixture and whipped cream:

    Remove and set aside 2 cups of the whipped cream mixture in a small bowl and set aside. Add remaining whipped cream mixture to pudding mixture and fold until combined and fluffy. 

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl folding the cream mixture into the peanut butter mixture

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

  5. Assemble trifle layers:

    Tear brownies into 3/4-inch pieces to measure about 6 cups (reserve any remaining brownies for another use); set aside 1/2 cup brownie pieces for topping. Arrange about 1 1/3 cups brownie pieces in bottom of a 4-quart trifle dish.

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl first brownie layer in the dish

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

    Top with 1 scant cup peanut butter cups.

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl adding the peanut butter cup layer

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

    Top with 2 heaping cups pudding mixture.

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl adding the first pudding layer

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

    Repeat layers once; spread 1 cup of the reserved whipped cream over pudding layer.

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl spreading the whipped cream mixture on top of the pudding layer

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

  6. Finish trifle:

    Repeat layers of  brownies, peanut butter cups, and pudding mixture twice.

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl repeating the layers for the trifle

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

    Top with remaining 1 cup whipped cream.

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl spreading the whipped cream on top

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

    Crumble reserved 1/2 cup brownie pieces over whipped cream and sprinkle with any remaining peanut butter cups.

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl topping with remaining peanut butter cups

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

    Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 12 hours.

    Southern Living Heaven in a Bowl ready to serve in a dish

    Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

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