Brownie Trifle

Yesterday was home fellowship, which means yummy dessert making day for me. I had worked the last two nights, so I was in zombie mode, and I probably should have made something easier, but I already had the ingredients. Plus a reputation to live up to, ha ha. Our AWESOME babysitter kept the kids a bit extra yesterday so I could sleep more. That helped a lot. So this dessert is from the Oct/Nov 2010 Simple & Delicious that I just got. There are a lot of recipes I have marked in this one. This one is actually called "Spiderweb Brownie Trifle" because it is part of their Halloween section, but the only thing you do different is make a spiderweb on top with chocolate syrup. So I just didn't do that, and voila, a normal dessert.

Brownie Trifle
1 pkg caramel swirl brownie mix (8-in square pan size)(I totally did not buy brownie mix. I just made brownies. Saved myself like $2.99 right there)
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
16 oz carton Cool Whip
3 cups milk
1 pkg (5.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 pkg (3.4 oz) intstant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans (did I mention that I gave away my [dull anyway] Pampered Chef chopper? I did order a new one, a Tupperware one with a pull-cord like a lawn mower that I can't wait to try...but consequently I could not finely chop these pecans. I bought them chopped, and that is the size they stayed)
3 Butterfinger candy bars, finely chopped, divided (these crushed quite easily in a big ziploc bag with my Pampered Chef meat tenderizer...not the spiky side, the smooth side)

Prepare and bake brownie mix according to package directions. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth. Fold in 2 cups cool whip. Place half the brownie cubes in a 4-quart trifle dish or glass serving dish; layer with half of the cream cheese mixture.

In another bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Set aside half of the pudding mixture. Stir pecans and 1 cup chopped Butterfinger into remaining pudding mixture; spread over cream cheese layer. Layer with remaining brownies and cream cheese mixture.

Fold 2 cups cool whip into the reserved pudding mixture; spread over cream cheese layer. Spread remaining cool whip over top. Sprinkle remaining Butterfinger pieces on top. Refrigerate until set.

The thing at the top of the recipe says prep time is 35 minutes, which is probably a bit low. And it said 21 servings. That I know is not true. We had 10 adults and a couple of kids that ate it. It was all eaten, which I will take as a good sign, and Becky said it was possibly the best dessert ever. So it's a keeper, definitely.