Nothing To Trifle About 5 Minute Trifle Food

FIVE-MINUTE TRIFLE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. , Cut the cake into 1-in. cubes; place in a 2-qt. glass bowl. Top with raspberries and pudding. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Garnish with whipped topping and additional raspberries.

ELEGANT BERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• PREPARE pudding mixes according to package directions. Blend in 1 teaspoon almond extract; set aside. Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon extract with grape juice in small bowl; set aside.
• SPREAD 1/4 of pound cake slices with raspberry preserves and 1/4 with blackberry jam; top each spread slice with unspread slice to form "sandwiches." Cut sandwiches into 3/4-inch pieces. Reserve a few pieces for garnish; sprinkle remaining pieces with grape juice mixture.
• SPOON 1/3 of pudding into 6-cup dessert dish or trifle bowl. Alternate raspberry and blackberry cake pieces in pattern on pudding, using half of pieces. Repeat layers; top with remaining pudding. Refrigerate several hours.
• Shortly before serving: WHIP cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Sprinkle crushed macaroons around edge of dish. Pipe rosettes or spoon dollops of whipped cream on top of trifle; garnish with reserved cake pieces.

ALMOND AND CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM TRIFLE

Steps:

• Line an 8 to 9-inch square or round glass dish or bowl with ladyfingers. Douse with half of the liqueur, spray with a layer of whipped cream. Sprinkle with chocolate pieces and slivered almonds. Repeat this layering another time. After the second layering, spray a healthy shot of whipped cream on top. Dust with cocoa powder, garnish with raspberries and serve or chill until ready to serve.

CHOCOLATE, CHESTNUT AND ORANGE TRIFLE

Steps:

• For the trifle: Combine the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Put the bowl over a barely simmering saucepan of water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• In another medium bowl, using a fork, gently mash the chestnut puree into 1/2-inch chunks.
• In a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream until thick. With the machine running, gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. Add half of the whipped cream to the chestnut puree and, using a spatula, fold it in until incorporated. Set aside.
• Stir the orange zest and 1/3 of the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Set aside.
• To assemble the trifle: In the bottom of a 4-quart trifle bowl, arrange a single layer of pound cake slices, trimming the cake slices, if necessary, to fit. Drizzle the pound cake with about 1/4 cup of the orange liqueur or orange syrup. Spread 1/2 of the chestnut cream on top. Arrange another layer of pound cake slices on top and drizzle with 1/4 cup orange liqueur. Spread 1/2 of the chocolate cream on top. Repeat the layers using the remaining cream and liqueur, finishing with a chocolate cream layer.
• For the garnish: Using a vegetable peeler, shave the chocolate bar on top of the trifle and sprinkle with orange zest. Cover the trifle with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Allow the trifle to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
• In a small saucepan, bring the orange juice and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes.

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.)

LEMON-SCENTED MASCARPONE TRIFLE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar with the lemon juice. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• In a medium bowl, combine the cooled sugar mixture with the mascarpone cheese and the lemon zest. Using an electric mixer, whip on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• To build the trifle, line the bottom of a trifle bowl with a layer pound cake. Brush the pound cake with some creme de cassis liqueur. Spoon a layer of the cheese mixture over the pound cake, and then a layer of berries. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used, finishing with a top layer of berries. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with chopped mint leaves.