My husband is not a dessert guy (crazy, right?). But when he has the opportunity to pick something sweet, he opts for something fruity and creamy, and of course, a little boozy. I started making this dessert about three years ago and it has become a hit and a family favourite. I should mention, it took me three tries to make the custard from scratch. I was so paranoid about the eggs scrambling, I wouldn’t let the milk get hot enough for it to thicken! I would throw it away and start again (yikes)! [I vividly remember the calling my Mum in a panic and her talking me through it. hehe.] Now, you can call me “Custard Lady” as this mastered skill comes with ease and joy.
A word to the wise, I usually like to make this dessert is three steps. Since I am a working Mum, I don’t have the energy or time to make this treat all in one evening. So, my assembly looks like this:
- Evening one – bake cake and clean up.
- Evening two – make custard and clean up.
- Evening three – cut cake into pieces, prepare cherry/brandy jam mixture. Next, assemble trifle. Place in fridge. Clean up .
- Evening three/ Dessert Day – make whip cream, spread on top of trifle, grate chocolate, and make trifle pretty. Leave mess.
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) brandy
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cherry jam
- 2 cups (500 mL) drained bottled pitted sour cherries in syrup
- 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) whipping cream, (35%)
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) grated dark chocolate
Custard:
- 8 egg yolks
- 4 cups (1 L) milk
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) cornstarch
- 4 tsp (18 mL) almond extract
Chocolate Pound Cake:
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) butter, softened
- 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
- 1-3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 2/3 cup (150 mL) buttermilk
Instructions
Cake
- In bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla.
- Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture alternating between flour mixture with buttermilk. Spoon into greased and floured loaf pan, smoothing top.
- Bake in 350°F oven until toothpick comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes; turn out onto rack, set right side up and let cool completely. (Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.)
Custard:
- In large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/2 cup of the milk, the sugar and cornstarch.
- In heavy saucepan, heat remaining milk over medium heat just until bubbles form around edge; gradually whisk into yolk mixture. Return to pan and cook, whisking, until thick enough to mound on spoon, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Place plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. (You can refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
Filling:
- In small bowl, combine cherry brandy with sour cherry jam. Cut cake into small cubes. Line trifle bowl ( in may case, salad bowl …) with one-third of the cake pieces; spoon one-third of the jam mixture over top. Top with one-third of the drained sour cherries; spoon one-third of the custard over top. Repeat layers twice. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 24 hours.
- In bowl, whip cream with sugar; spread three-quarters over trifle. Sprinkle with grated chocolate, left over cherries or other fruit.
- Eat and enjoy!
Black Forest Trifle
2015-04-15 14:06:31
Serves 12
A delicious, slightly boozy-fruity trifle with home-made custard, whip cream, chocolate and cherries.
Filling
- 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) brandy
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cherry jam
- 2 cups (500 mL) drained bottled pitted sour cherries in syrup
- 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) whipping cream, (35%)
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) grated dark chocolate
Custard
- 8 egg yolks
- 4 cups (1 L) milk
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) cornstarch
- 4 tsp (18 mL) almond extract
Chocolate Pound Cake
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) butter, softened
- 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
- 1-3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 2/3 cup (150 mL) buttermilk
Cake
- In bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla.
- Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture alternating between flour mixture with buttermilk. Spoon into greased and floured loaf pan, smoothing top.
- Bake in 350°F oven until toothpick comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes; turn out onto rack, set right side up and let cool completely. (Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.)
Custard
- In large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/2 cup of the milk, the sugar and cornstarch.
- In heavy saucepan, heat remaining milk over medium heat just until bubbles form around edge; gradually whisk into yolk mixture. Return to pan and cook, whisking, until thick enough to mound on spoon, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Place plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. (You can
- refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
Filling
- In small bowl, combine cherry brandy with sour cherry jam. Cut cake into small cubes. Line trifle bowl ( in may case, salad bowl ...) with one-third of the cake pieces; spoon one-third of the jam mixture over top. Top with one-third of the drained sour cherries; spoon one-third of the custard over top. Repeat layers twice. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 24 hours.
- In bowl, whip cream with sugar; spread three-quarters over trifle. Sprinkle with grated chocolate, left over cherries or other fruit.
- Eat and enjoy!
Notes
- For the custard, I watched a few YouTube videos as I was worried I would accidentally make scrambled eggs.
Adapted from Canadian Living
Adapted from Canadian Living
Merry Golden https://www.merrygolden.com/