Put the blackberries in a medium saucepan along with the sugar over medium-high heat., stirring occasionally, cook until the sugar is dissolved and the berries start to break up with a jammy texture, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
To make the whipped cream, in a stand mixer with a balloon whisk or you can use a handheld mixer, beat the whipping cream, brandy, and sugar together until soft peaks form. Cover and chill for up to 6 hours.
To assemble the dessert: start to layer with the crumbled meringues, followed by layers of the blackberry jam sauce, brandy whipped cream and crushed gingersnap cookies. Repeat the layers a total of 2 to 3 times finishing with dusting the whipped cream with crushed gingersnap cookies and a few fresh blackberries as desired.
Notes
Assemble this dessert as close to serving as possible, so the meringues don't soften too much. Meringues can be made up to 3 days in advance.You can substitute the brandy for 1 teaspoon of brandy flavoring if preferred to make it kid-friendly. Want extra brandy flavor? Add a splash of brandy to the quick blackberry jam sauce, plus you can soak the blackberries in brandy before making the jam for added flavor.If preferred, you can create this dessert in one large trifle dish instead of individual serving glasses.NOTE: the amounts of ingredients used for the layers will vary depending on the serving dish and personal preference. ENJOY!