Chocolate-Gingerbread Trifle

It was just about 6 weeks ago that I promised a second recipe, one that is so scrumptious, it would be worth saving and freezing the leftovers of my tasty Chocolate-Gingerbread Cake.  This cake is the perfect base for an impressive Holiday Trifle. I had just over half of the cake tucked away in the freezer,  just waiting for the perfect occasion. The perfect occasion is one which you don’t necessarily have a lot of time to carefully construct a “perfect” dessert but want something both delicious and impressive.

  

The best trifle has a variety of flavors an textures.  Mine includes layers of the aforementioned cake, smooth, decadent chocolate custard, chewy tart dried cherries, crunchy roasted and salted pecans, an fluffy whipped cream. A few hours or overnight in the refrigerator, and you have an amazing dessert that everyone will adore! 

You can make it super-impressive by layering it in a Trifle dish, or like me, in individual jars for a more casual look.

You can also vary the ingredient depending on how much time you have or how much work you want to do.  For instance, feel free to use a pre-made container of chocolate pudding (Trader Joe’s has a good one), or perhaps pre-made whipped cream if you don’t have the time or energy to whip the cream.  Whatever works for you is what is best!

So, throw this together, and get ready for a chorus of “oohs” an “ahhs”! Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE-GINGERBREAD TRIFLE

Ingredients

Some (around half or more) leftover cake, cut into 1/2″ -3/4″ cubes

1 c cream, whipped with 1-2T sugar

1/2 c chopped roasted and salted pecans

1/4 c dried cranberries or cherries

Chocolate pudding, recipe follows
Ingredients for pudding:

1 3/4 c whole milk

6 large egg yolks

3/4 c sugar

2 T cornstarch

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 t vanilla extract

Instructions
 

 

To make the chocolate pudding, whisk the egg yolks of 2 minutes until thick and uniform in texture. Add the sugar, whisk in.  Add the cornstarch, continue to whisk until thick, smooth and light yellow.

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk until it just simmers. When milk is simmering, remove about 1/4c of the milk and, while whisking egg mixture, slowly stream the milk into the egg mixture to temper the eggs.  When the milk is completely mixed in, slowly pour the egg mixture into the simmering milk. Turn heat up to medium.  Stirring constantly, cook mixture until boiling.  Boil 3 minutes until thick.  

Turn off heat.  Pour chopped chocolate into hot milk-egg mixture.  Stir until chocolate fully melted and mixed in, and pudding is smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour pudding into a bowl, cover its surface with plastic wrap and place into refrigerator until cold.

When pudding is cold, you are ready to assemble the trifle.

Layer the components into jars or trifle bowls.  Place a layer of cake cubes.  Top with layers of cherries, pecans, pudding, whipped cream.  Repeat until al ingredients are used an container is full.  

Refrigerate several hours or overnight.  This is a dish that improves with overnight refrigeration.