Yummy Cranberry Trifle for Your Christmas Holiday Party

Earlier today I posted the recipe for the Champagne Punch I always make when I have a Christmas Party. A couple of folks e-mailed and asked for the trifle recipe, too...so here ya go...




The recipe cames from the December 2008 issue of Everyday Food.




Cranberry Trifle

2 bags (12 oz each) cranberries, fresh or frozen (I used fresh)
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger (if using ground ginger, use much less or will be too strong)
1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
2 homemade or store-bought all-butter pound cakes, 12 oz. each, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
Candied Orange Zest (recipe follows for zest)

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 cups granulated sugar, ginger and 2 cups water. The ginger is the yellow looking stuff in this pic. At first I was worried that 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger would be overpowering, since ginger is pretty strong. It wasn't though...it was just right!




Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until cranberries begin to burst...8-10 minutes. They were just starting to burst when I took this pic.




Let compote cool completely. To speed up the cooling time, I poured the compote into a large bowl and stuck it in the refrigerator...otherwise it would have taken a really long time to cool because it is really thick and syrup like.

Make cream filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and vanilla on high until well combined. With mixer on medium, gradually add heavy cream; continue beating until soft peaks form.

Arrange 1/3 of cake in a 3 quart serving dish. I bought the boxed Duncan Hines pound cake mix when I made it...to save some time.




Spoon 1/3 of compote over cake; spread to sides of dish. Dollop 1/3 of cream filling over compote; spread to sides of dish. Repeat twice more, ending with cream filling. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 1 day). Garnish with Candied Orange Zest, if desired. (I highly recommend making and garnishing with the Candied Orange Zest...it was one of the best parts of the trifle!)

Recipe for Candied Orange Zest:
In a medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest of 1 orange (peeled into long strips with a vegetable peeler); simmer, swirling occasionally, until zest is tender...8-10 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a plate. Dredge zest in sugar, and thinly slice.

I found it tricky to cut the zest after dredging...felt like I was knocking some of the sugar off. Might be better to cut it first and then dredge it through the sugar. Or, better yet...cut it, put it back into the syrupy water you just drained off and then dredge it...that way the sugar will really stick well. You try it and tell me what works best. :-)


Here's the finished product...




When I made this for my last party, it was a big hit and began disappearing fast...you can see the layers in this photo...



You'll find all the Party Planning Posts under the heading Tablescapes for All Occasions at the top of this blog. (Just scroll down to the bottom of that page.) Enjoy!

Also linking this post to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.
Thanks Michael for hosting Foodie Friday!