Recipe for cooking trifle with strawberries and caramel-coated bananas

Desserts to Go with Coffee and Tea :: Tortes and Trifles

Trifle with Strawberries and Caramel-Coated Bananas

Source: Bon Appétit, December 1997

16 servings

Cake
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
10 lrg. eggs, room temperature
1 c. plus 4 Tbsp. sugar
3 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or flavoring
1 tsp. salt
1 c. plus 4 Tbsp. flour
5 Tbsp. unsalted melted butter, lukewarm

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-in. jelly roll 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 c. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract or flavoring and 1/2 tsp. salt in lrg. bowl until mixture triples in volume and is thick enough to fall in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 12 mins..

Sift 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. flour over batter in 2 additions, gently folding just to combine after each addition. Drizzle 2 1/2 Tbsp. butter over and fold in gently (do not overmix or batter will deflate). Pour batter evenly into greased pan.

Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 12 mins.. 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
1 1/2 c. milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 lrg. egg yolks
1/3 c. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. chilled whipping cream

Place milk in med. saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil. Whisk yolks, sugar and flour in med. bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to pan; whisk over med. heat until custard thickens and boils, about 4 mins.. Strain into med. bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill until cold, about 3 hours. Using electric mixture, beat cream in med. bowl to stiff peaks. Fold cream into cold custard. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Caramel Syrup
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. plus 5 Tbsp. water

Stir sugar and 1/3 c. water in heavy sm. 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 Tbsp. water (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir until caramel is smooth. Pour caramel into med. bowl; mix in remaining 2 Tbsp. water. Cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature.)

Assembly
Powdered sugar
2/3 c. raspberry jam
8 Tbsp. dark rum
2 (1 lb.) baskets fresh strawberries, hulled, sliced, or
    three 10 ounce pkg. sliced frozen strawberries in
    syrup, defrosted, drained well
8 med. bananas, peeled, cut into 1/3-in.-thick slices
Additional fresh strawberries
Additional bananas
Whipped cream
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Sift generous amounts of powdered 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 Tbsp. rum in sm. 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-in.-wide strips. Arrange enough cake strips in 3 1/2- to 4-qt. 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 Tbsp. 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 Tbsp. rum. Cover trifle. Chill 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-in. plain border at edge. Brush fruit with enough caramel syrup to glaze. Spoon cream into pastry bag fitted with med. star tip. Pipe cream around fruit. Garnish with mint, if desired.