Alana Chernila has a new cookbook out, Eating from the Ground Up. You just might like veggies thanks to this book and you can read my review here.
I’m charmed by Alana’s wonderful recipes and I’m offering you one from her last book, The Homemade Kitchen. The recipe title is Summer Trffle. Yes, I know, it just is spring and here in Manhattan we have a foot of snow from our fourth storm in a month.
But, I can dream of summer. And the sidewalks are shoveled so I can walk the five blocks to my local Whole Foods and get fresh strawberries. They are quite fresh and have been flown in somewhere from this planet. Local strawberries are months in time, and a foot of snow, away.
I suppose “summer” comes into play here because once upon a time we had to wait for summer to produce local, sun-flavored fruit. We are fortunate to have “summer” ingredients available so much of the year. We don’t have to wait for summer at all enjoy this dish.
A triffe is spectacularly beautiful. Perfect for your Spring holiday table.
The recipe calls for using pound cake, not the typical sponge cake. So, the day before, you need to make a really serious pound cake. Oh, wait, I have one for you: Jan’s Buttermilk Pound Cake from Buttermilk by Debbie Mouse.
So, pound away. Second helpings are encouraged.
The grand thing about a trifle is that you cannot go wrong. Use whatever fruits and berries you like. Even if you tried, it would be hard to have your trifle taste exactly the same way each time. Further, you don’t have to use sherry here. You can do another alcohol or just use a simple syrup or, best of all, a fruit-flavored simple syrup. Raspberry would be excellent.
Experiment and expand your dessert horizons.
Summer Trifle [aka anytime you want]
Yield: serves 8 to 10 [but that would mean no seconds and …]
Ingredients:
- 4 to 5 cups blueberries, sliced strawberries, raspberries, sliced peaches, or a combination
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 Pound Cake, 1 to 2 days old, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) cream sherry
- 4 cups Pastry Cream (recipe follows)
- Whipped cream for serving
Preparation:
Pick out the most perfect fruit for decoration and set aside. Combine the rest of the fruit with the sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir gently to combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
Set aside a handful of pound cake cubes for the top of the trifle. Then, lay a third of the remaining pound cake on the bottom of a trifle dish or large glass bowl. Sprinkle a third of the sherry over the cake. Spoon a third of the fruit mixture over the cake, and top with a third of the pastry cream. Repeat the process, for a total of three layers of cake, fruit, and cream. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, top with the reserved fruit and pound cake and the whipped cream, if using.
For the pastry cream: Combine 2 ½ cups whole milk, ⅓ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and the seeds and pod of a vanilla bean in a saucepan. Bring to a low boil, then remove from heat and take the pod out of the mixture. While the milk mixture heats, whisk 4 egg yolks and 3 tablespoons cornstarch into another ½ cup milk. Whisk a hefty glug of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture—then pour the whole egg mixture back into the hot milk and return the pot to heat. [This is tempering and keeps the egg from cooking!] Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the mixture thickens into a creamy pudding, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a covered container in the refrigerator to cool. Makes about 4 cups.
Source: The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila [Clarkson Potter, 2015]