I'd like to make a trifle for Christmas dinner and, although I have a
couple of good trifle recipes (see below), I do *so* hate to repeat
myself. Anyone have a particularly *pretty* and *tasty* trifle recipe
that would be a good counterpoint to my Yule Log (also see below)?

@@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format

Chocolate, Cranberry And Ginger Trifle

desserts

Cranberry Filling:

2 12 ounce bag cranberries
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange peel; grated
1 teaspoon ginger; grated
1/2 cup crystallized ginger; chopped

Chocolate Pudding

1 3/4 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 ounces semisweet chocolate; chopped
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1/2 cup crystallized ginger; chopped
1 3/4 cups whipping cream; chilled
Assembly:
1 16 ounce pound cake
9 tablespoons Grand Marnier

For Filling: Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan.
Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until cranberries
pop, stirring occasionally, about 5 mins. Mix in crystallized ginger.
Cover and refrigerate until cold.

For Pudding: Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove
from heat. Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in medium bowl
until very thick, about 3 mins. Add cornstarch; beat to blend.
Gradually beat in hot milk. Return mixture to saucepan; whisk over
medium heat until pudding thickens and comes to a boil, about 3 mins.
(pudding will be very thick). Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk
until melted and mixture is smooth. Mix in Grand Marnier. Transfer to
medium bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding. Chill
until cold, about 3 hours. (Filling and pudding can be made 1 day
ahead. Chill.)

Mix crystallized ginger into pudding. Beat cream in large bowl until
firm peaks form. Set aside 1 1/2 C. whipped cream. Fold remaining
whipped cream into pudding in 2 additions.

For Assembly: Cover bottom of 8" diameter trifle bowl with single
layer of cake pieces, turning crusts away from sides of bowl Sprinkle
with 3 T. Grand Marnier. Spread 2 C. cranberry filling over cake to
sides of bowl. Spread 1 1/4 C. pudding over cranberry filling to sides
of bowl. Repeat layering 2 more times (reserve remaining chocolate
pudding for another use).

Spread 1 1/2 C. whipped cream over trifle, building up whipped cream
edges slightly. Spoon remaining filing atop whipped cream (but not
atop whipped cream edges). Cover and chill at least 4 hours. (Can be
made 8 hours ahead. Chill.)

Contributor: Bon Appetit

Yield: 15 servings

@@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format

Trifle

desserts

pound cake
berries
jam; same as berries
American golden custard
whipped cream
sherry

Cut cake to fit trifle bowl and soak with sherry (about 1/2 cup). Let
sit overnight. Cook custard according to directions and chill. Shortly
before serving, spread jam on cake, cover with jam, spread custard
over jam and top with whipped cream. Top with berries.

Contributor: Anne Hughes

Yield: 12 servings

@@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format

Yule Log (Boche De Noel)

desserts

1 cup cake flour; sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream Filling:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Drambuie
chocolate butter cream frosting:
1/2 cup butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease 15"x10" jelly roll pan; line pan with
waxed paper and grease paper. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and
salt together, set aside. Beat eggs at high speed until thick and
light yellow in color. Beat in granulated sugar a tablespoon at a
time, beating constantly, until mixture is very thick. Beat in water
and vanilla; fold in sifted dry ingredients until blended. Spread the
batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake at 375F for 10 mins. or until center springs back when touched
lightly with finger. DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Loosen cake around the pan edges using a sharp knife. Invert pan onto
waxed paper dusted with confectioner's sugar.

Spread with cream filling. Roll jelly-roll fashion into a log. Place
on serving plate. Cut a 1/2" thick slice from one end of the cake and
shape it for a "knot" on the log.

Cream Filling:

Combine cream with sugar and beat at medium speed until peaks form;
gradually beat in Drambuie.

Chocolate butter cream frosting:

Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan and cool slightly. Combine
sugar, milk and vanilla in bowl; slowly beat into chocolate mixture
and beat until frosting is smooth and easy to spread.

To finish, frost cake roll. Draw the tines of a fork lengthwise
through frosting to resemble "bark" on a tree. Press the "know" into
the side and frost. Sprinkle ends of the roll with the chopped nuts.

Yield: 12 servings

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA

"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"

Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:

> I'd like to make a trifle for Christmas dinner and, although I have a
> couple of good trifle recipes (see below), I do *so* hate to repeat
> myself. Anyone have a particularly *pretty* and *tasty* trifle recipe
> that would be a good counterpoint to my Yule Log (also see below)?

If your interested i have a much simpler Italian trifle made with sponge
cake and flavored with strega and white wine and coated with an apricot
glaze and meringue.
----
JL

>
>
> @@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format
>
> Chocolate, Cranberry And Ginger Trifle
>
> desserts
>
> Cranberry Filling:
>
> 2 12 ounce bag cranberries
> 1 3/4 cups sugar
> 1 cup orange juice
> 1 tablespoon orange peel; grated
> 1 teaspoon ginger; grated
> 1/2 cup crystallized ginger; chopped
>
> Chocolate Pudding
>
> 1 3/4 cups whole milk
> 6 large egg yolks
> 3/4 cup sugar
> 1/4 cup cornstarch
> 4 ounces semisweet chocolate; chopped
> 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
> 1/2 cup crystallized ginger; chopped
> 1 3/4 cups whipping cream; chilled
> Assembly:
> 1 16 ounce pound cake
> 9 tablespoons Grand Marnier
>
> For Filling: Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan.
> Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until cranberries
> pop, stirring occasionally, about 5 mins. Mix in crystallized ginger.
> Cover and refrigerate until cold.
>
> For Pudding: Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove
> from heat. Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in medium bowl
> until very thick, about 3 mins. Add cornstarch; beat to blend.
> Gradually beat in hot milk. Return mixture to saucepan; whisk over
> medium heat until pudding thickens and comes to a boil, about 3 mins.
> (pudding will be very thick). Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk
> until melted and mixture is smooth. Mix in Grand Marnier. Transfer to
> medium bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding. Chill
> until cold, about 3 hours. (Filling and pudding can be made 1 day
> ahead. Chill.)
>
> Mix crystallized ginger into pudding. Beat cream in large bowl until
> firm peaks form. Set aside 1 1/2 C. whipped cream. Fold remaining
> whipped cream into pudding in 2 additions.
>
> For Assembly: Cover bottom of 8" diameter trifle bowl with single
> layer of cake pieces, turning crusts away from sides of bowl Sprinkle
> with 3 T. Grand Marnier. Spread 2 C. cranberry filling over cake to
> sides of bowl. Spread 1 1/4 C. pudding over cranberry filling to sides
>
> of bowl. Repeat layering 2 more times (reserve remaining chocolate
> pudding for another use).
>
> Spread 1 1/2 C. whipped cream over trifle, building up whipped cream
> edges slightly. Spoon remaining filing atop whipped cream (but not
> atop whipped cream edges). Cover and chill at least 4 hours. (Can be
> made 8 hours ahead. Chill.)
>
> Contributor: Bon Appetit
>
> Yield: 15 servings
>
> @@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format
>
> Trifle
>
> desserts
>
> pound cake
> berries
> jam; same as berries
> American golden custard
> whipped cream
> sherry
>
> Cut cake to fit trifle bowl and soak with sherry (about 1/2 cup). Let
> sit overnight. Cook custard according to directions and chill. Shortly
>
> before serving, spread jam on cake, cover with jam, spread custard
> over jam and top with whipped cream. Top with berries.
>
> Contributor: Anne Hughes
>
> Yield: 12 servings
>
> @@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format
>
> Yule Log (Boche De Noel)
>
> desserts
>
> 1 cup cake flour; sifted
> 1/4 cup cocoa powder
> 1 teaspoon baking powder
> 1/4 teaspoon salt
> 3 eggs
> 1 cup granulated sugar
> 1/3 cup water
> 1 teaspoon vanilla
> Cream Filling:
> 1 cup heavy cream
> 1/2 cup sugar
> 1 tablespoon Drambuie
> chocolate butter cream frosting:
> 1/2 cup butter
> 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
> 2 cups confectioner's sugar
> 1/4 cup milk
>
> Preheat oven to 375F. Grease 15"x10" jelly roll pan; line pan with
> waxed paper and grease paper. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and
> salt together, set aside. Beat eggs at high speed until thick and
> light yellow in color. Beat in granulated sugar a tablespoon at a
> time, beating constantly, until mixture is very thick. Beat in water
> and vanilla; fold in sifted dry ingredients until blended. Spread the
> batter evenly in prepared pan.
>
> Bake at 375F for 10 mins. or until center springs back when touched
> lightly with finger. DO NOT OVERCOOK!
>
> Loosen cake around the pan edges using a sharp knife. Invert pan onto
> waxed paper dusted with confectioner's sugar.
>
> Spread with cream filling. Roll jelly-roll fashion into a log. Place
> on serving plate. Cut a 1/2" thick slice from one end of the cake and
> shape it for a "knot" on the log.
>
> Cream Filling:
>
> Combine cream with sugar and beat at medium speed until peaks form;
> gradually beat in Drambuie.
>
> Chocolate butter cream frosting:
>
> Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan and cool slightly. Combine
> sugar, milk and vanilla in bowl; slowly beat into chocolate mixture
> and beat until frosting is smooth and easy to spread.
>
> To finish, frost cake roll. Draw the tines of a fork lengthwise
> through frosting to resemble "bark" on a tree. Press the "know" into
> the side and frost. Sprinkle ends of the roll with the chopped nuts.
>
> Yield: 12 servings
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
> AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA
>
> "If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
> old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
> waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."
>
> -- Duncan Hines
>
> To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"

On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 08:05:21 GMT, Joseph LIttleshoes
> rummaged among random neurons and opined:

>If your interested i have a much simpler Italian trifle made with sponge
>cake and flavored with strega and white wine and coated with an apricot
>glaze and meringue.

Gimme! And TIA!

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA

"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"

Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:

> On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 08:05:21 GMT, Joseph LIttleshoes opined:
>
> >If your interested i have a much simpler Italian trifle made with
> sponge
> >cake and flavored with strega and white wine and coated with an
> apricot
> >glaze and meringue.
>
> Gimme! And TIA!

Here you go, i forgot to mention it also has a custard filling. And
works nicely with an ordinary cake, it does not necessarily have to be
made with a 'sponge cake' and a variation of a 'close textured' sponge
cake made with cornstarch is IMO preferable. And remember a
meringue can be chocolate flavored.

Note: Strega a licorice & mint flavored liquor is rare & expensive,
Torrone (honey almond) by the same maker is an acceptable substitute as
is ammeretto and most good liquors with a favorite of mine being
Framboise but a strawberry, orange or plum liquor is often used and a
nice creme de banane is very good also.

Or eliminate the liquor and use a good Madeira.

If you just happen to know somebody in the Austrian government who can
get you a sample of real Tokay...

Italian Trifle
---------------

1 recipe basic rolled sponge cake (baked in a 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly
roll pan)

1/4 cup sweet white wine

1/2 tsp. strega

2 cups basic confectioners' custard

3 cups apricot glaze

3 cups basic meringue

Prepare the sponge cake but do not roll. Cut the sponge cake into 3
equal layers and place 1 layer on a cookie sheet.

Mix the wine and strega and sprinkle 1/3 of the mixture over the cake
layer, spread 1/2 of the custard over the layer, then spread 1/2 of the
glaze over the custard.

Add second layer, and sprinkle with 1/2 of the remaining wine mixture.
Spread with remaining custard, then with remaining glaze.

Add remaining cake layer and sprinkle with remaining wine mixture.
Spread a thin layer of meringue over the tops and sides of cake.

Place remaining meringue in an icing nag with no. 4 star tube affixed
and pipe onto top and side of the cake a border and other decoration,
stars, swirls etc. as desired.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until tips
of meringue are golden brown. Cool, then chill. Garnish as desired.
Makes 10 - 12 servings.

Note: lacking a jelly roll pan use ordinary cake pans and bake 3
separate layers.
---
JL