Irish Trifle Recipes

Steps:

• Make the cake: Brush a 9-inch cake pan with softened butter and lightly flour sides. Lay pan on a sheet of parchment paper and trace around bottom of pan. Cut parchment round and place in pan with pencil marks facing down. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift cake flour and cornstarch into a bowl or onto a sheet of parchment.
• In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine 2 eggs, half the sugar and the vanilla. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds to combine. Turn mixer to highest speed and beat for 5 minutes, until mixture is light, pale and fluffy. Turn mixer down to medium and beat for 3 minutes. Scrape mixture out into a large bowl. Gently fold in half the flour mixture, then gently fold in remaining half.
• Wash the stand mixer bowl thoroughly with soap and hot water, then dry. Add egg whites, remaining sugar and salt to bowl. Using the whisk attachment, beat at medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or long enough to obtain a soft, creamy meringue. Do not over-whip; you do not want a stiff and dry meringue.
• Carefully fold half the egg white mixture into batter, along with melted butter. Carefully fold in remaining egg white mixture. Gently scrape into prepared cake pan. Put cake pan on a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake 30 minutes, until light golden brown and a tester comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and reverse onto a rack. Remove parchment paper and cool for 5 minutes, then flip cake over and let cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic if not using right away. Cake can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for several weeks.
• Assemble the trifle: At least 6 hours, and no more than 24 hours, before you plan to serve trifle, spread top of cake with jam and cut into 2-inch squares. Line a flat wide bowl (preferably a trifle dish) with cake squares, in one layer. Douse cake with 2 to 4 tablespoons cream sherry, more if desired. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap , set a plate on top, and set a weight (such as a large can of tomatoes) on top of the plate. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or longer.
• Uncover cake. Spike crème anglaise with a tablespoon or two of sherry if desired, and pour over cake. Chill for an hour or more in refrigerator.
• Just before serving, beat cream until it forms soft peaks, and flavor it with a spoonful of cream sherry if desired. Spoon over trifle. Dust with a very small amount of nutmeg and serve.

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using a 13x9-in. pan. Cool in pan on a wire rack 1 hour., With a meat fork or wooden skewer, poke holes in cake about 2 in. apart. Slowly pour creamer over cake; refrigerate, covered, 1 hour., In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes 2 minutes; let stand until soft-set, about 2 minutes., Cut cake into 1-1/2-in. cubes. In a 3-qt. trifle or glass bowl, layer a third of each of the following: cake cubes, pudding, whipped topping and candies. Repeat layers twice. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• For cookies, heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Grease a baking sheet (s).
• Melt butter in a large skillet; add the oats and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Let cool.
• Beat the brown sugar, egg and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth.
• Mix in the flour and baking soda on low speed.
• Add the cooled oat mixture and mix only to combine.
• Use batter immediately or chill overnight.
• Drop the batter onto prepared sheet (s)- 1 tablespoon for each cookie and space about 3 inches apart.
• Bake until golden, 9 to 12 minutes.
• Cool on sheet for one minute and then transfer to wire rack to cool.
• The recipe makes 24 cookies; you will use 12 for the recipe.
• For cream, beat the cream with an electric mixer until it begins to thicken.
• Add both sugars and continue beating until it holds soft peaks.
• Add 1/4 cup whiskey and mix well.
• To serve: break a cookie into coarse pieces into each of six dessert goblets; drizzle one teaspoon of whiskey over cookie.
• Top with a spoonful of cream, another broken cookie, another teaspoon of whiskey and another spoonful of cream.
• Drizzle top with a small swirl of caramel topping and serve at once.

Steps:

• For the brownies: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the sugar and cocoa powder and cook, stirring often, until the mixture is melted and smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool slightly. (Alternatively, combine the butter, sugar and cocoa powder in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave on high for another 30 seconds.)
• Stir in the salt and vanilla, then let the mixture cool for 1 minute more. Add the egg and stir until incorporated. Add the flour and stir for 50 brisk strokes.
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with fudge crumbs clinging to it and the surface is shiny and starting to crack, about 23 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.
• For the Irish cream pudding: Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in the bottom of a 2-quart saucepan. Slowly add the milk and egg yolk while constantly whisking.
• Turn the heat on the pan and bring it to a gentle simmer while constantly whisking. (Be sure to scrape the edges of the pan frequently to prevent lumps. Whisking vigorously will break up any lumps.) Cook the pudding, constantly whisking, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Irish cream liqueur and butter until melted.
• Lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper and chop into 1/2-inch cubes. In two small glasses, layer about one-third of the brownie cubes and top each with half of the pudding. Repeat with another layer of brownie cubes and pudding. Top each with the remaining brownie cubes. Cover the trifles with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• For assembly: Before serving, whip the heavy cream and the sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Dollop each trifle with the whipped cream, sprinkle with the chocolate shavings and serve.