Gingerbread Trifle

Name: Gingerbread Trifle
Cook time: 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 7 g unsalted butter softened; 240 g all-purpose flour sifted; 8 g baking powder; 5 g baking soda; 8 g ground ginger; 4 g ground cinnamon; 1 g ground cloves; 2 g fine salt; 106 g unsalted butter softened; 150 g dark brown sugar; 180 g molasses; 2 count large egg room temperature; 5 ml vanilla extract; 240 ml hot water; 2 g fine salt; 5 ml vanilla extract; 60 g gingerbread cake crumbs from trimmed cake edges or a few extra pieces of baked gingerbread cake; 480 ml heavy cream cold; 60 g powdered sugar sifted; 120 g cream cheese softened; 180 ml caramel sauce warmed

This dessert layers tender gingerbread cake with cinnamon-vanilla whipped cream and caramel sauce, then finishes with gingerbread crumbs for texture. Chill it so the layers set and the spices meld.

By Julienne

Cook time: 35 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

7 g unsalted butter softened
240 g all-purpose flour sifted
8 g baking powder
5 g baking soda
8 g ground ginger
4 g ground cinnamon
1 g ground cloves
2 g fine salt
106 g unsalted butter softened
150 g dark brown sugar
180 g molasses
2 count large egg room temperature
5 ml vanilla extract
240 ml hot water
2 g fine salt
5 ml vanilla extract
60 g gingerbread cake crumbs from trimmed cake edges or a few extra pieces of baked gingerbread cake
480 ml heavy cream cold
60 g powdered sugar sifted
120 g cream cheese softened
180 ml caramel sauce warmed

Instructions

Heat the oven to 175°C. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment if desired. Oven is fully preheated and the pan is prepared.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl. The dry ingredients look evenly combined with no visible spice streaks.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until combined and slightly lighter, then beat in the molasses, eggs, and half of the vanilla. The mixture looks smooth and glossy with no streaks of egg.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then stir in the hot water and remaining salt just until the batter is smooth and thin. The batter is pourable and evenly mixed.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the center springs back and a tester inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. The cake is risen, set in the center, and no longer wet in the middle.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out to a rack to cool completely. Cut 60 g of the cake into rough crumbs for the topping and cube the remaining cake for layering. The cake is fully cool before assembly.
For the cream layer, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and the remaining vanilla until soft to medium peaks form. The cream holds gentle peaks and looks smooth, not grainy.
In the trifle dish, layer one-third of the cake, one-third of the cream, and one-third of the caramel sauce. Repeat twice more, using the caramel sauce in three equal portions and saving a small spoonful from the final portion for the top drizzle. Distinct layers are visible through the glass and the top is evenly finished.
Scatter the reserved gingerbread crumbs over the top and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving so the layers settle. The trifle is chilled and the top crumbs stay in place.