Holiday Trifle Food

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE HOLIDAY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9- by 13-inch metal baking dish with cooking spray (I like Baker's Joy) and line with parchment paper. Lightly spray the paper.
• Combine the chocolate chips, cocoa and espresso powder in a mixing bowl. Pour the boiling water over top and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.
• In another bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater blade, cream together the butter and sugar on medium to medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Whisk the buttermilk and vanilla into the reserved chocolate mixture. Reduce speed to low. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the chocolate mixture until just combined. Repeat with another third of flour, the remaining chocolate, and final third of flour.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth with a rubber or offset spatula. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick pricked in center comes out clean. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a paring knife along the edges of the cake and gently invert it onto the cooling rack. Discard the parchment paper and allow the cake to cool completely.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low to medium-low heat. Add the chocolate chips and espresso powder, and cook until chocolate is completely melted. Pour in the condensed milk and coffee liqueur and whisk until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or with an electric mixer) beat the cream until stiff peaks begin to form. Gently fold cooled chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until it is completely incorporated and no streaks remain. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
• Combine 1/2 cup chocolate chips, cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa and salt in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently, over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking at a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips, butter and vanilla and whisk until glossy and smooth. Set aside.
• For the whipped cream:
• Just before serving, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or with an electric mixer) beat the cream, confectioners' sugar and coffee liqueur until soft peaks just begin to form.
• This can be assembled in a large trifle dish or individual glass serving dishes. Line up the individual dessert components. Break the devil's food cake into small pieces (it's okay if it crumbles; it will press into a cohesive layer in the trifle dish). Rewarm fudge sauce on low heat to thin, if necessary.
• Spread a layer of chocolate mousse in the bottom of the dish. Arrange a fairly thick layer of devil's food cake pieces over the mousse. Drizzle fudge sauce over the cake pieces. Repeat layering, ending with mousse. Refrigerate trifle for 2 to 3 hours to set.
• This dessert is best served at room temperature, so remove from the refrigerator at least an hour or two before serving. Top with fresh whipped cream and chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans. (If making individual trifles, top each trifle with one whole chocolate-covered espresso bean.)

HOLIDAY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Using (2) 9-inch round cake pans, bake cakes according to package directions; cool & cut 1 cake into 1-inch pieces; freeze other cake for future use.
• In a medium size bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water; stir.
• Add pudding mixes; beat until blended; Chill for 5 minutes.
• Fold whipped cream into pudding mix.
• In a trifle bowl, layer ingredients as follows: 2 cups pudding (spread, covering bottom of bowl), cake cubes (covering pudding), sprinkle with 1 tablespoons orange juice, top with 1 cup sliced strawberries, 1/2 cup raspberries and 1/3 cup sliced kiwis.
• Repeat once again and top with pudding.
• Garnish with extra fruit and/or chocolate curls or sprinkle with cocoa powder.

BEST HOLIDAY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine cake mix, water, and egg in a large bowl using a fork. Pour batter into an ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 28 to 33 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Combine pudding with milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit and cool completely with a layer of plastic wrap directly touching the surface, to prevent a skin from forming.
• Meanwhile, mix pumpkin filling, brown sugar, rum, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and cloves together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Tear cooled cake into cubes or bite-size pieces. Arrange in a layer at the bottom of a large glass or trifle bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pumpkin mixture over cake; layer 1/2 of the whipped topping over pumpkin. Repeat layers.
• Pulverize 2 gingersnap cookies in a food processor or place in a plastic bag and crush using a rolling pin or mallet. Dust over trifle. Stand 8 whole gingersnap cookies up around the circumference of the trifle.
• Cover trifle with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 24 to 48 hours. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC TRIFLE WITH BERRIES OR CITRUS

Steps:

• Make the custard: In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
• In a medium saucepan, heat cream, milk and any of the optional flavorings over medium heat until simmering.
• Slowly whisk 1/2 cup hot cream mixture into yolk mixture until well mixed. Whisking egg mixture constantly, slowly pour in remaining cream. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium-low heat.
• Cook custard, stirring continuously especially around the bottom and edges of the pot, until the custard has thickened enough to mound on the spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Don't let it come to a boil, but a few simmering bubbles is fine. If it starts to curdle at any point, remove pot from the heat and whisk it intensely. It should smooth out.
• Once the custard is thick, scrape it into bowl, whisk in vanilla, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto its surface. Let the custard cool for at least 30 minutes. At this point, custard can be chilled for up to 3 days, or used to assemble the trifle. Pluck out cinnamon stick or cardamom pods, if using, just before assembling trifle.
• Prepare the fruit: If using berries, put them in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar to taste, and use a fork to mash them. If using oranges, supreme them: Cut the tops and bottoms off each one, squeezing the juice from the severed pieces into a bowl. Using a paring knife, cut the peel and all the white pith off the fruit. Working over the bowl to catch the juices, slice the segments away from the membrane, letting fruit fall into the bowl. It's OK if the segments fall apart; you're going to break them up anyway. When all the segments are cut out of the membranes, squeeze the membranes over the bowl to release as much of the juice as possible. Sprinkle oranges with sugar, to taste, and, using your hands, break the segments up into pieces. You want a pulpy, juicy mix in the bowl. There should be a lot of liquid. Let oranges or the berries macerate for 20 minutes.
• To assemble the trifle, spread the ladyfingers on one side with a thick layer of jam or marmalade. Put the ladyfingers, jam-side down, in the bottom of a medium (6- to 8-cup) trifle dish or any other serving bowl or dish (or use individual dishes, cups or glasses). You want to cover the bottom completely and, if you are using a bowl, go a little bit up the sides; break up the ladyfingers if needed to make them fit.
• Sprinkle sherry (or whatever liquid you are using) over the ladyfingers, making sure they are well moistened. Be generous: You don't want any dry bits.
• Spoon fruit and all their juices over ladyfingers. Top with custard. If you like a higher cake-to-custard ratio, you can break up a few more ladyfingers and scatter them on top of the custard, then drizzle with more sherry. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
• When ready to serve, using an electric mixer or a whisk, beat the cream and confectioners' sugar until fluffy; it should hold a light peak. Spoon whipped cream on top of trifle and garnish as you like. Serve immediately. (Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.)

HOLIDAY CHAMBORD TRIFLE

Steps:

• Separate ladyfingers in half and dry in warm oven slightly toasty. (At about 300ºF for about 10 minutes or so.).
• Spread with jam and put back together. Cut into thirds.
• Place thawed berries in a sieve over a bowl and reserve liquid. Take the reserved raspberry juice and add to it enough Chambord to make 1 cup.
• Place 1/3 of ladyfingers in a glass trifle bowl or any other large bowl. Pour 1/3 of the liquid over and add 1/3 of the grapes and raspberries.
• Continue with remaining layers.
• Mix in a saucepan the sugar, cornstarch and egg yolk. Whisk in the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until a wooden spoon comes out coated or of a custard consistency.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool completely. When cooled pour over the cake mixture.
• Cover with whipped cream and top with toasted almond slivers.