I have to admit I was a little nervous about this one the first time I made it.
I think I just have this habit of psyching myself out whenever I take a dish somewhere that is going to be eaten by a lot of people. I made some changes to the custard recipe I was following so that is what made me jittery. But it turned out really well and was very tasty.
I love taking trifles to potlucks or parties. They feed a lot of people, everyone likes them and they are generally very easy to make and this was no exception.
The first trifle I ever had was what I refer to as a box trifle. You use a cake mix or just buy an angel food cake alone with a boxed vanilla pudding and it’s good, people love it. However, I like to make everything from scratch. Not only do I think it tastes better, creamier, smoother then you know what is in it and I think that is important.
This trifle is completely amazing we completely enjoyed it both times I made it.
FOR THE CAKE- 1½ cups egg whites (10-12 large), room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons cream of tarter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 granulated sugar
- 1½ cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 cup sifted cake flour or sifted all-purpose flour
FOR THE CUSTARD- 8 egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
TO ASSEMBLE - 3 cups whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks and sweetened (I like to use a little vanilla extract and a couple handfuls of granulated sugar)
- 2 cups fresh or frozen berries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- TO MAKE THE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350˚. Set out your tube pan but do not grease it as this makes it harder for the cake to rise.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment whisk the egg whites, cream of tarter and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks are when you dip the whisk in the whites and pull it out and the whites stand stiffly up without falling over.
- Once you have stiff peaks, put the mixer on medium speed and gradually add the granulated sugar.
- In another large mixing bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar.
- Then use a spatula to fold ¼ of the flour mixture into the egg whites, repeat with remaining egg whites ¼ at a time and be very gentle so you don't deflate the whites.
- Pour the mixture into the tube pan and then run your spatula around in the batter to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the top is nice and golden and springs back when gently pushed.
- Immediately invert the cake to cool. Some tube pans have little feet so you can do this directly on the counter but some don't. If yours does not, an old wine bottle works wonderfully.
- Once completely cooled, loosen the edges of the cake and remove it gently.
TO MAKE THE CUSTARD - Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and corn starch until thick and light in color.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk and heavy cream almost to a boil.
- While whisking, gradually add the milk and cream mixture to the egg mixture. Once combined, pour back into the saucepan and cook and stir over medium low heat until thick.
- Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract. Pour into a bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the top of the pudding so that it doesn’t form a skin. Chill at least 2 hours.
- Once chilled, fold in the yogurt.
TO ASSEMBLE THE TRIFLE - Place a layer or chunks (whatever will fit in your trifle bowl) of cut up cake in the bottom of a trifle dish or deep glass bowl, or you can cut out two circles of cake, just the size of your dish and place one layer in the bottom.
- Layer 1 cup berries over the cake, then half the custard, then half the whipped cream.
- Repeat layers again and top with extra berries.
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