Gingerbread and Eggnog Trifle with Brandied Pears
An EASY recipe to make and very impressive! for those of you who do not know what a trifle is, it is an English dessert where cake, custard, fruit (and often liquor) are layered in a glass bowl, and it's hardly a trifle!
In my house we are gluten-free, so this recipe will work if you purchase a gingerbread mix and bake your own bread. (Gluten Free Pantry Spice and Gingerbread Mix works well)
for 'custard'
* 1 pound marscarpone cheese
* 1 cup eggnog
* 1 cup chilled whipping cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup powdered sugar or to taste
* 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
if you are concerned about marscarpone being gluten-free or unavailable use:
* 3/4 cup cold milk
* 1 package (3.4 ounces) Kraft instant vanilla pudding mix
* 2 cups eggnog
* 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp almond extract
* 1 cup heavy whipping cream that has been whipped, (when you have blended the first 5 ingredients, fold in the whipped cream.)
* 1 gingerbread cake
for pears
* 4 pears, peeled, halved & cored
* 1 bottle brandy (or white wine or 4 cups water for non-alcoholic)
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 1 4-inch piece of ginger, chopped
Place the halved pears in a pan with the brandy, sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered with a lid, until pears are tender, but not too soft, depending on the ripeness of the pear, it may take 20-40 minutes.
Remove the pears and continue to boil the wine mixture without lid until liquid has reduced and slightly thickened, about 15 minutes, reserve. When pears are cool, slice them.
Using electric mixer beat the marscarpone, eggnog, whipping cream, vanilla, sugar and nutmeg in large bowl until cream holds peaks.
Cut the cake into cubes. Arrange a layer of cake cubes on the bottom trifle bowl, top with a layer of pear slices and drizzle lightly with of the reserved brandy mixture. Top pears with the eggnog cream. Repeat layers until the bowl is full with cream on top, sprinkle lightly with ground nutmeg.
Chill at least two hours, you may set out 1/2 hour before serving.
In my house we are gluten-free, so this recipe will work if you purchase a gingerbread mix and bake your own bread. (Gluten Free Pantry Spice and Gingerbread Mix works well)
for 'custard'
* 1 pound marscarpone cheese
* 1 cup eggnog
* 1 cup chilled whipping cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup powdered sugar or to taste
* 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
if you are concerned about marscarpone being gluten-free or unavailable use:
* 3/4 cup cold milk
* 1 package (3.4 ounces) Kraft instant vanilla pudding mix
* 2 cups eggnog
* 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp almond extract
* 1 cup heavy whipping cream that has been whipped, (when you have blended the first 5 ingredients, fold in the whipped cream.)
* 1 gingerbread cake
for pears
* 4 pears, peeled, halved & cored
* 1 bottle brandy (or white wine or 4 cups water for non-alcoholic)
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 1 4-inch piece of ginger, chopped
Place the halved pears in a pan with the brandy, sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered with a lid, until pears are tender, but not too soft, depending on the ripeness of the pear, it may take 20-40 minutes.
Remove the pears and continue to boil the wine mixture without lid until liquid has reduced and slightly thickened, about 15 minutes, reserve. When pears are cool, slice them.
Using electric mixer beat the marscarpone, eggnog, whipping cream, vanilla, sugar and nutmeg in large bowl until cream holds peaks.
Cut the cake into cubes. Arrange a layer of cake cubes on the bottom trifle bowl, top with a layer of pear slices and drizzle lightly with of the reserved brandy mixture. Top pears with the eggnog cream. Repeat layers until the bowl is full with cream on top, sprinkle lightly with ground nutmeg.
Chill at least two hours, you may set out 1/2 hour before serving.