Raspberry Trifle

OK. You could probably make this with a cake mix and instant pudding. But that’s just not as cool.

So this recipe actually involves a series of recipes (see below). And you really could use any kind of fruit—I think pineapple would be great, or strawberries, or blueberries, bananas, blackberries . . . But the raspberries were really delicious, and they made it look very pretty, too.

RASPBERRY TRIFLE

1 recipe Sour Cream-Vanilla Pudding
1 recipe Raspberry Puree
1 recipe Sponge Sheet Cake
3 cups fresh raspberries
lightly sweetened, freshly whipped cream

To assemble the trifle: Cut cake into approximately 2-inch squares. Cover bottom of trifle bowl with cake pieces. Tuck 2-3 fresh raspberries between outer cake squares; scatter some more berries over center (use about 1 cup berries). Spread 1/3 of raspberry puree over center. Cover all with 1/3 of Sour Cream-Vanilla Pudding. Repeat two more times. Before serving, top with whipped cream.


SOUR CREAM-VANILLA PUDDING

5½ Tbsp. cornstarch
1⅛ cup sugar
⅛ tsp. salt
6-7 large egg yolks
4¼ cups whole milk
vanilla, to taste (1-2 tsp.)
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter (1 stick)
1½ cups sour cream

Mix cornstarch, sugar and salt together in a medium saucepan. Whisk in egg yolks and in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. [Do not let it boil.] Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter; stir until butter is melted and completely incorporated. Cover closely with plastic, and let cool to room temperature. Mix in sour cream. Refrigerate, closely covered, until ready to use.



SPONGE SHEET CAKE

6 large eggs, separated and brought to room temperature
½ tsp. cream of tartar
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract (optional; but if you don’t use it, increase the vanilla to 1 tsp.)
2 Tbsp. hot water
1 cup cake flour

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a jelly-roll pan; line pan bottom with waxed paper, allowing 1-inch overhang on each end. Do not grease paper.
In a large bowl, whip egg whites at medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat to soft peaks. Slowly sprinkle on 3 Tbsp. sugar; continue to beat until whites are shiny and thick, 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks, vanilla and hot water; beat at high speed 1 minute. Slowly add ½ cup sugar; beat until mixture is pale, shiny and almost as thick as marshmallow cream—4-5 minutes longer.
Scrape yolk mixture over egg whites; gently fold with rubber spatula until about 2/3 mixed. Sift flour over egg mixture; gently fold until flour is completely incorporated. Spread batter in prepared pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula. Bake until lightly browned and center springs back when gently pressed, about 12-15 minutes.
Immediately after baking, free the cake edges from the pan sides with a knife and smooth a sheet of waxed paper over the cake top. Place another sheet pan or cookie sheet on top of the cake. Flip over as shown, then lift off the baking pan. Let the cake cool completely, then gently peel the waxed paper off the cake bottom, removing the bottom crust. Flip the cake top side up, then peel off the second sheet of waxed paper, removing the top crust. (Can be wrapped in plastic, then in foil and refrigerated for 1 day).

RASPBERRY PUREE
Sounds kind of like “Raspberry Beret.” But I don’t really know that song.

2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
3-4 Tbsp. sugar

Puree berries and sugar in blender or food processor. Strain through fine sieve, pressing on solids to release juice; discard seeds. (Can be covered and refrigerated 1 day.)

Now that all the ingredients are made, you can assemble the trifle, as described at the very beginning of this post. :-)