Trifle with Strawberries and
Caramel-Coated Bananas
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients
Cake
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 10 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup + 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup + 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, lukewarm
Custard
- 1 1/2 cups milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
Caramel Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup plus 5 tablespoons water
Assembly
- Confectioners' sugar
- 2/3 cup raspberry jam
- 8 tablespoons dark rum
- 2 (1 pound) baskets fresh strawberries, hulled, sliced, or three 10 ounce package sliced frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed, drained well
- 8 medium bananas, peeled, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices
- Additional fresh strawberries
- Additional bananas
- Whipped cream
- Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Instructions
Cake
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch jellyroll pan with vegetable oil spray. Line bottom of pan with wax paper, extending paper slightly at short ends; spray paper.
- Using electric mixer, beat 5 eggs, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl until mixture triples in volume and is thick enough to fall in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 12 minutes.
- Sift 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour over batter in 2 additions, gently folding just to combine after each addition. Drizzle 2 1/2 tablespoons butter over and fold in gently (do not over-mix or batter will deflate). Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 12 minutes. Transfer pan to rack; cool cake. Repeat with remaining ingredients and another pan to make second cake. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover cakes with foil and store at room temperature.)
Custard
- Place milk in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil. Whisk yolks, sugar and flour in medium bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to pan; whisk over medium heat until custard thickens and boils, about 4 minutes. Strain into medium bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill until cold, about 3 hours.
- Using electric mixture, beat cream in medium bowl to stiff peaks. Fold cream into cold custard. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Caramel Syrup
- Stir sugar and 1/3 cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 3 tablespoons water (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir until caramel is smooth. Pour caramel into medium bowl; mix in remaining 2 tablespoons water. Cool. Cover; let stand at room temperature.)
Assembly
- Sift generous amounts of confectioners' sugar over 2 kitchen towels. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto prepared towels. Peel off paper.
- Stir jam and 2 tablespoons rum in small bowl to blend. Cut each cake crosswise in half. Spread half of jam mixture over 1 piece of each cake. Gently press second piece of each cake onto jam.
- Cut cake sandwiches crosswise into 3/4-inch wide strips. Arrange enough cake strips in 3 1/2- to 4-quart glass trifle dish or bowl to cover bottom, trimming strips to fit and allowing jam layer to show at sides. Brush cake layer with 2 tablespoons rum. Top with half of sliced berries, arranging some to show at sides of dish.
- Add banana slices to caramel syrup; gently stir to coat. Using slotted soon, remove banana slices, a few at a time, draining all excess caramel back into bowl. Layer half of banana slices atop berries, arranging some to show at sides of dish.
- Spoon half of custard over bananas, spreading to side of dish. Repeat layering with cake, rum, berries, banana slices and custard. Arrange remaining cake strips atop custard; press gently to compact. Brush with 2 tablespoons rum. Cover trifle. Chill for at least 4 hours and up to 10 hours. Cover remaining caramel syrup; store at room temperature.
- Halve additional berries. Slice additional bananas. Arrange fruit atop trifle, leaving 1-inch plain border at edge. Brush fruit with enough caramel syrup to glaze. Spoon cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe cream around fruit.
- Garnish with mint, if desired.
Attribution
Bon Appetit magazine, December 1997
