Mixed Berry Triffle

I really enjoy eating a good triffle, so pretty to look at yummy to eat. While a large triffle is beautiful to look at, the individual portions don't look all that great. At home, that doesn't matter as much, but at the restaurant it just doesn't work. So when I found these mini triffle bowls, I knew they would be perfect. Since local berries are out and beautiful, I made a berry triffle. I layered with cream cheese pound cake, pastry cream, whipped cream and berries. The triffle came together rather quickly, in under 30 minutes (excluding the making of the pound cake). You could if in a pinch, purchase a good quality store bought pound cake instead. The recipe would work for a large single triffle is you prefer. In the summer, I might add peaches and blueberries as well.

Notes: This pastry cream is very versatile and can be used to fill a cake, fruit tarts, or as I have used it here. It can be flavored with anything you like, this time I used Grand Marnier and vanilla. I have used vanilla beans before when making something delicate, almond extract also works well. Make sure to use a stainless-steel pan, if you use aluminum the cream with turn a grayish-brown color. The cream cheese pound cake can be found here.



Vanilla Pastry Cream

3 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 egg yolks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier

Whipping Cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream whipped to stiff peaks with 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/3 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar. (depending on how sweet you would like the cream- I don't like it too sweet).

3 pints mixed berries

1. In a heavy stainless steel pot over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the cornstarch and sugar together then add to the milk whisking occasionally.

2. In the same bowl, whisk egg yolks and about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture. Mix together until incorporated then pour egg mixture into the pot. Whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Making sure to stir well around the corners of the pot so nothing sticks.

3. Once the mixture reaches a boil, cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and mix in butter, vanilla, and Grand Marnier. Once all ingredients are incorporated and butter has melted place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream. (this will keep a skin from forming). Refrigerate cream until ready to use or up to 4 days.

Assemble triffles:
layer cubes of pound cake, pastry cream and berries until full, ending with whipping cream and berries on the top. You may brush a simple syrup on the pound cake while layering.
(1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier. Heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then brush over cake).

A large triffle bowl can be used instead of the mini ones, the recipe makes one large or 6 mini.