Triple Chocolate Trifle With Raspberries

[lsanderson]

Comfort in Layers of Chocolate
By MELISSA CLARK

MY parents love to tell the story of me and the bowl of schlag (whipped cream) at Demel coffeehouse in Vienna. I was a toddler, the tale goes, held in my mother’s arms in front of the pastry counter, when I pitched myself forward, diving into a bowl of said schlag. I made it up to my wrists before being caught, but after licking the white fluff from my fingers, I apparently spent the rest of the day ecstatic.

I can’t say I remember it. Though, given my predilection for anything creamy, it seems likely that it happened. And it might explain why giant bowls of whipped cream — preferably hiding a layer of rich pudding underneath — still make me weak in the knees.

Of the multitude of possibilities involving pudding topped with whipped cream, the queen of them all is trifle. With its layers of cake, sherry, custard and whipped cream, trifle is more than just pudding. It’s a grand dessert, a celebration unto itself in a cut crystal bowl. A genuine crowd-pleaser, it can be assembled days in advance, making it an ideal dessert for a holiday party. More

Recipe: Triple Chocolate Trifle With Raspberries

Time: 1 1/2 hours plus 3 hours’ chilling

FOR THE BROWNIES:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, more for greasing pan

3 ounces finely chopped unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons Cognac, rum or bourbon, optional

FOR ASSEMBLY:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch salt

1 3/4 cups whole milk

3 cups heavy cream

2 large egg yolks

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (2 cups)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar for whipped cream

1 to 2 pints fresh raspberries.

1. To make brownies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

2. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Remove pan from heat and stir in chopped chocolate until fully melted. Stir in cocoa and sugar until combined. Slowly add eggs, whisking chocolate mixture constantly, then whisk in vanilla. Fold in flour and salt.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until just firm, about 25 minutes (do not overbake). Transfer pan to a rack to cool. If using spirits, prick holes in hot brownies and drizzle evenly over pan.

4. In a large bowl, mix together granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in 3/4 cup milk. In a large saucepan, bring remaining 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream to a boil over medium heat. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into cocoa mixture. Return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking gently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. (A simmering bubble or two is O.K., but do not let it boil.)

5. In a medium heat-resistant bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking them constantly, very slowly dribble about half the cocoa-milk mixture into yolks until fully combined. Pour yolk mixture into saucepan with remaining cocoa-milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking occasionally, over medium-low heat, until thickened, about 5 minutes. (Do not let mixture come to a simmer. If pan begins to steam thickly, remove from heat for a few moments and stir well before continuing.) Let cool slightly.

6. Melt 5 ounces chopped chocolate with butter. Stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool 5 minutes, then fold into thickened egg mixture. Place plastic wrap directly against pudding (to prevent a skin from forming), and chill until set, about 3 hours. (Pudding and brownies can be made up to 5 days ahead, and refrigerated.)

7. Just before assembling, in an electric mixer, beat remaining 2 1/2 cups cream with remaining 5 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar until it forms soft peaks. Scrape down sides and fold in any excess cocoa or sugar.

8. Cut brownies into 1-inch squares. Fit a layer of brownie squares in bottom of a 4-quart trifle, glass, or other bowl. Top with half the pudding, a third of the whipped cream, a third of the remaining chopped chocolate and a third of the raspberries. Repeat layering until all ingredients have been used. Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 24 hours before serving.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.