Kitchen

[ECBG]

I cook for days before Christmas.  I give quite a few friends a large tray of all types of homemade candies and cookies.  It's hard to get a dessert in between all of this, and my family gets the trays too so I don't want to have that for dessert. 

When a friend and I went to Olive Garden for a celebration gir's din, we had their Black Tie Chocolate Moose Cake.  It was beautiful and so good it made "your teeth itch"!!!!!  I think I may just do that.  The variety is nice, and for Thanksgiving you can preorder at 15% off and they'll give it to me frozen to keep!

[beckyb1012]

OMG that looks wonderful!!  Are you going to make or order for the $40.00?

[ECBG]

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@beckyb1012 wrote:

OMG that looks wonderful!!  Are you going to make or order for the $40.00?

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Well at 15% off, it's really tempting and that's one item DONE!!!!!  If you're looking for something, it's fantastic and can be thawed one piece at a time!  (You just need to tell them not to thaw ahead).

[NickNack]

That looks delicous!

[denisemb]

That's all well and good, but what do I serve my guests after I inhale that all by myself!?!?  LOL

Thanks for sharing, I'll have to check that out.

[cuddlesmama]

Cooks.com has the recipe.

[ECBG]

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@cuddlesmama wrote:

Cooks.com has the recipe.

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******************************************Thanks so very much for finding this.  Since I cook for everyone for Christmas and I'm so worn out, They said this procedure was over the top in terms of work, and I just can't handle another big task.  The ingredients were very interesting indeed!  I may need to borrow your "calorie wand"!!!!!

[sfnative]

@ECBG

I'm happy for you that you've finally found exactly what you want for Christmas dessert.  What a relief to have found it and what pleasure you will all have with that scrumptious chocolate dessert.

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The selection of a Christmas dessert seems to stump many people.  I used to do one of this and another of that, never really feeling as though I had hit on just the right one. 

However, about 15 years ago "Bon Apetit" showcased a "Raspberry Marsala Trifle," so I decided to give it a try.  It was, without a doubt, the best Christmas dessert ever, because my guests told me as much.

I've made it every Christmas ever since that first one.

The clincher was one year when we were at friends out-of-state for Christmas and I made it.  There were leftovers, as it's a bit rich for some, so into the frig it went.  In the morning, I opened the frig door to get some milk for my tea and the trifle was gone.  Three of the guys had gotten up in the middle of the night and eaten the remaining servings.  I knew then that I'd never change this Christmas tradition.  (Just 2 years ago, during our first Christmas in Oregon, my daughter's friends completely did away with that trifle in 15 minutes.  There wasn't a bit left in the bowl.  Thank you "Bon Apetit!"

[IamMrsG]

@sfnative   You piqued my interest, so I Googled for the recipe.  This "sounds" wonderful, is it the one you use?

Raspberry and Marsala Trifle

BON APPÉTIT DECEMBER 1995

Yield  Serves 10

Cake

1 18 1/2-ounce package Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Recipe Golden cake mix

2/3 cup dry Marsala

Filling

3 12-ounce packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed, drained 3 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup sugar

9 large egg yolks

1 cup dry Marsala

1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream

1 1/2-pint basket fresh raspberries 

Preparation

For Cake:  Butter and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Prepare cake according to package instructions, substituting 2/3 cup Marsala for water. Bake cake and cool completely. Cut cake crosswise into thirds. Cut cake lengthwise into 1-inch-wide slices. Set aside.

For filling:  Mix thawed frozen raspberries and 3 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Set aside. 

Using handheld mixer, beat egg yolks and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large metal bowl until well blended. Beat in 1 cup dry Marsala. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not let bottom of bowl touch water). Beat until mixture triples in volume and registers 160°F on thermometer, about 6 minutes. Remove bowl from over water.

Cool yolk mixture to room temperature, whisking occasionally. 

Using electric mixer with clean dry beaters, beat 3/4 cup cream in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into yolk mixture.  

Arrange enough cake slices in 12-cup trifle dish to cover bottom. Spoon 1 cup of raspberry mixture over cake, allowing some to show at sides of bowl. Pour 1 1/2 cups filling over; smooth top. Arrange enough cakes slices over filling to cover completely.

Spread 1 cup raspberry mixture over, allowing some to show at sides. Pour 1 1/2 cups filling over.  Arrange enough cake slices over filling to cover completely. Spread remaining raspberry mixture over. Pour remaining filling over; smooth top.

Cover and refrigerate trifle at least 4 hours or overnight. 

Using electric mixture, beat 3/4 cup chilled whipping cream to stiff peaks in medium bowl. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe whipped cream decoratively over trifle. Garnish trifle with raspberries. 

[sfnative]

@IamMrsG

Hi, IamMrsG,

Yes, this is the recipe I make every Christmas Eve.  It's placed in the frig so the flavors can develop overnight, then served on Christmas.  When making this, it's most important to have a trifle dish/bowl (it's on a pedestal) and to place the pieces of cake and the raspberries artfully where they touch the glass of the bowl.

Hope you're able try it some day.

Merry Christmas ~ Rebecca