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rifles
have long been a favorite party dessert of the English. They are traditionally
served in a large glass bowl so all the layers can be clearly seen and enjoyed. A
trifle's sequence of layering begins with slices of cake on the
bottom, followed by a sprinkling of alcohol, then a layer of fruit and/or jam,
then a creamy smooth custard layer, softly whipped cream,
and finally the trifle is garnished with crushed cookies, sprinkles, or more
fruit. Although this Blueberry Trifle breaks from tradition in that it is made
in individual servings, it still follows the classic sequence of layering; pound
cake, blueberry sauce, fresh blueberries, a cream made with heavy cream and
mascarpone cheese, all garnished with crushed gingersnap cookies.
The beauty of a trifle is
that variations exist for every layer. If you don't like pound cake, then
a sponge, butter cake, or ladyfingers can be used. Next, Grand Marnier is
sprinkled over the pound cake. Any spirit can be used to
soak the cake or you can omit it altogether. Blueberry Sauce is then poured onto the
cake but you can replace it with a favorite jam or preserve. Other
berries or even peaches, pears, kiwi can be used in place of the
blueberries. The
next layer is typically a custard or pastry cream
followed by whipped cream. For this recipe, I have replaced the custard
and whipped cream layer with a delicious creamy smooth layer of softly
whipped cream that is combined with mascarpone cream. The trifle is
decorated with crushed Gingersnap cookies (store bought or home
made). Toasted nuts or fruit could also be used to top the trifle. This
trifle recipe does benefit from chilling in the refrigerator for at least
four hours before serving.
This recipe makes 4
individual 1 1/2 cup (360 ml) servings or 6 - 1 cup (240 ml) servings.
Read more about the
English
Trifle..
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