Tropical Trifle

You know that lemon poundcake I shared yesterday, with the candied pineapple and crystallized ginger in it?  I used some of it to make a trifle, with layers of cake, pineapple, and vanilla pudding, topped off with whipped cream.  Because, in my world, trifle is always a good thing.

Here's how I made it:

MAKE THE PINEAPPLE FILLING

• 2 x 398 ml tins crushed pineapple, canned in juice, not syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine all three ingredients in a small saucepan, stirring until the cornstarch is dissolved in the pineapple juice. 

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens.

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 1 hour.

MAKE THE VANILLA PUDDING

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups milk
• 2 well beaten eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in the top of a double boiler.  Gradually add the milk, stirring until the cornstarch is dissolved.

Cook over - not in - boiling water, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens.

Put the eggs in a heat proof bowl and slowly add in the cooked pudding, stirring constantly so the eggs don't scramble. 

Once the eggs and pudding are combined, use the back of a wooden spoon to work the pudding through a seive just in case there are any cooked bits of egg that need straining out.

Allow the pudding to cool to room temperature, then put it in the fridge for at least an hour.

ASSEMBLE THE TRIFLE

The trifle in the photo is actually enough to serve two people. Although it makes a good picture, I'd never present such a large portion at the end of a meal.  I'd use this recipe to make 8 individual trifles served in wine glasses, or one large trifle in a pretty bowl, to be served family style at the table.

When both the pineapple filling and the pudding are chilled, cut 6 x 1-inch thick slices of poundcake and then cut the sliced poundcake into cubes.

If assembling this in a large trifle bowl, use half the cubed poundcake to make a layer in the bottom of the bowl. If assembling this as individual servings, divide half of the poundcake cubes equally between the 8 glasses.

For a large trifle, put half the pudding over the cubed poundcake, followed by half the pineapple filling.

For individual trifles, divide all of the pudding equally between the 8 glasses (about 1/2 cup per glass), then do the same with all of the pineapple filling.

For a large trifle, repeat the poundcake, pudding, pineapple layers once again.

For individual trifles, if there's room in the glasses to accomodate it, divide the remaining poundcake evenly between the 8 servings, placing it on top of the pineapple filling. If you can't fit the second layer of poundcake in there, don't worry about it. Just put it in the freezer and use it later for something else.

Put the trifle(s) in the fridge to set up for an hour or more.

Just before serving, whip 2 cups of heavy cream (33% milk fat) until it forms soft peaks.  Add in 1 Tablespoon of sugar and 1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.  Continue whipping the cream until the sugar and vanilla are thoroughly mixed in and the cream is firm enough to hold its shape without collapsing when spooned onto the trifle(s).

Top the trifle(s) with the whipped cream and serve immediately.