Recipe(tried): English Chocolate Trifle

This is a very attractive dessert in a trifle bowl.

ENGLISH CHOCOLATE TRIFLE WITH APRICOTS AND
RASPBERRIES

A trifle with a few twists: a white chocolate pudding and layers of dark chocolate cream and
apricot puree.

White Chocolate Pudding
10 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups half and half
1 pound imported white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Poached Apricots
2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
9 ounces dried apricots

Dark Chocolate Cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
5 tablespoons light corn syrup
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate,
chopped
1 1/2 (about) purchased 12-ounce pound cakes
6 tablespoons dark rum
3 tablespoons white cr me de cacao liqueur
4 1/2-pint baskets fresh raspberries or 16 ounces frozen unsweetened
raspberries, thawed

Firmly whipped cream

For Pudding:
Whisk yolks, sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl. Bring half and half to simmer in heavy
large saucepan. Gradually whisk hot half and half into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same
saucepan and whisk over medium heat until custard boils. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly.
Remove from heat. Pour pudding into large bowl. Add white chocolate and butter and whisk
until smooth. Chill until thick and cold, whisking occasionally, about 3 hours.

For Apricots:
Line cookie sheet with foil. Brush foil lightly with vegetable oil. Combine 2/3 cup water, honey,
sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over high heat until
sugar dissolves. Add apricots and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Transfer 5 apricots and 1/4 cup poaching syrup to heavy small skillet. Combine remaining
apricots with remaining poaching syrup, 3 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in
processor and puree. Pour puree into bowl. Cook apricots in skillet over high heat until syrup is
reduced to glaze, turning apricots once, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer candied
apricots to foil. Cool. Mix any syrup from skillet into puree. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
Cover candied apricots and puree separately and let stand at room temperature.)

For Dark Chocolate Cream:
Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add
chocolate and whisk until melted. Chill until cold but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about
30 minutes.

Cut cakes into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into 4 squares. Arrange enough cake in
4-quart glass trifle dish to cover bottom, fitting tightly. Mix rum and liqueur in bowl. Drizzle 3
tablespoons over cake. Drop 1/3 of apricot puree by spoonfuls over cake. Gently spread with
back of spoon, allowing puree to show at sides of bowl. Reserve 1/4 basket berries for garnish.
Sprinkle 1/3 of remaining berries over puree, arranging some berries to show at sides of bowl.
Starting 1 inch in from sides of bowl, pour 1/3 of dark chocolate cream over, making sure it
does not touch sides of bowl. Starting at edge, pour 2 cups white chocolate pudding over
chocolate cream. Repeat layering with remaining cake, rum mixture, apricot puree, berries,
dark chocolate cream and white chocolate pudding in 2 more layers each. Smooth top. Cover
and chill overnight.

Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe around edge of trifle.
Top with candied apricots and reserved berries. (Can be made 8 hours ahead; chill.) Serve
cold.

Serves 16.

Bon App tit
December 1991