Rummy Sponge Cake Trifle: a Festival of Flavors in Your Mouth

"Sponge cake is drizzled in rum, sprinkled with almonds and dates, layered in vanilla pudding and whipped cream, and garnished with chocolate curls. It's a dessert that is so moist and sumptuous, you are sure to experience "A Bit of Heaven and a Hint of Rum." Experiment with this recipe by adding your own favorite ingredients, like lemon curd, orange zest, or white chocolate crumbles."
 
Download
photo by a food.com user photo by a food.com user
Ready In:
30mins
Ingredients:
16
Serves:
8-10
Advertisement

ingredients

Advertisement

directions

  • Begin by making the vanilla pudding:

  • Heat 2 2/3 cups of the milk.
  • Mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt in a seperate bowl; stir in the remaining milk.
  • Add the cornstarch mixture to the heated milk and cook over low heat, continuously stirring, until smooth and thick, and the cornstarch is completely cooked (about 10 minutes).
  • Set aside to cool down to room temperature.
  • Meanwhile, layer 1/3 of the sponge cake cubes in the bottom of a footed trifle dish or deep glass bowl.
  • Drizzle the cake with 1/3 rum and sprinkle with 1/3 almonds and 1/3 dates; top with 1/3 vanilla pudding. Repeat the layers until the bowl is ALMOST full.
  • Chill for at least four (4) hours - Longer is better.
  • Meanwhile prepare the whipped cream topping:

  • In a large bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks are just about to form.
  • Beat in the vanilla, 2 tablespoons rum, and sugar until peaks form. COOK'S TIP: Do not over-beat or the cream will become lumpy and butter-like.
  • Just before serving the trifle, pipe the whipped cream over the top and run a vegetable peeler over the edge of the dark chocolate bar, letting the curls sprinkle over the cream topping.

Questions & Replies

Got a question? Share it with the community!
Advertisement

Reviews

Have any thoughts about this recipe? Share it with the community!
Advertisement

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<img src="http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/ZaarNicksMom/PACsticker-Adopted.jpg"> <img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/IWasAdoptedfall08.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"> It was at my Italian grandmother's apron strings, in the "Patterson, New Jersey region" of Italy, that I learned the secrets of creating real home style Italian dishes, and where my passion for food and my culture were nurtured. Always kept neat as a pin, grandma's kitchen was the centerpiece of our social settings and the focal point of our lives together as a family. Yes, it was the heart of her home. There, friends and family exchanged news, grandchildren stood on stools over the counter and grated chunks of Romano and Parmesan cheese to be served with dinner, and under the watchful eye of grandma the women (young and old) planned and prepared mouthwatering menus that reflected the marvelous flavors and textures of Italian cooking. On any given day tantalizing aromas would build and escape through her kitchen window, dance about the balcony and drift down onto the street; where men chatting on the corner of Putnum Street would stop in their tracks to inhale the mouth-watering fragrance. So many sumptuous meals were prepared in that modest, yet functional, kitchen. If I close my eyes and think of Grandma's cooking, I can vividly recall some of those fragrant food memories: tomato sauce with meatballs and sausages simmering on the stove top; onions, peppers and garlic roasting in a fragrant pool of olive oil, Neapolitan pizza with vine-ripened tomatoes (from grandpa's garden), fresh garlic, basil, Parmesan and anchovies bubbling in the oven; Italian bread smothered with creamy butter, minced garlic, and fresh parsley toasting under the broiler ... "Yummmmm - Heaven in your mouth!" Among the many recipes that I've collected over the years, are those that I hold especially near and dear. They are tattered, faded pieces of paper that provide a glimpse into my past -- Family recipes passed down from mother to daughter, granddaughter to great-granddaughter. Generations of my family's heritage are captured in grandma's recipes for flavorful soups (Minestrone, Pea, Ruccola); hearty meat, poultry and fish dishes (braciole, pot roast, chicken casseroles, seafood stews); fresh vegetable entrees and salads, and those baked goodies that bring a happy ending to every meal (Ricotta pies, Struffoli, Cenci, Pine Nut cookies). Whenever I am 'hungry' for "the good old days" or I want to soothe my soul after a tiring day, these are the comfort-recipes to which I turn. I once heard it said: "What distinguishes great cooks from good cooks is that great cooks love to cook. Every meal is an opportunity to express that love." A credo that I am certain grandma lived by -- I believe that she prepared her meals to fill her family and friends with love. I am proud of grandma's spirit of "abbondanza" (an abundant table). Indeed, no one ever left grandma's table hungry. I'd like to share with you some of the foods from my beloved grandmother's kitchen. Enjoy and make these Italian classic favorites in your own family's kitchen. Buon appetito!
 
View Full Profile
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Find More Recipes