Trifle

White Chocolate Tiramisu Trifle with Spiced Pears

If there's one dessert that is almost foolproof, but yet impressive looking and tasty, it's the Trifle.  Traditionally prepared with ladyfingers or sponge cake brushed generously with liqueur, you can use any absorbant cookie or cake, such as poundcake or anisette cookies.  The cake is then spread with preserves or fruit syrup; topped with a pastry cream and/or whipped cream; then layered with fresh fruit.  This process is repeated, until you have several layers to fill a trifle or other pretty, glass serving bowl.  Whipped cream decoratively tops the entire dessert along with any fruit, cookie, or chocolate garnishes.  What's even better about a Trifle, is that it's best made the day ahead, or at least early in the morning of the day you plan to serve it to give the flavors time to mingle and for the cookies or cake to soak up the liquid and soften.   I'd wait until right before ready-to-serve before topping with whipped cream

The photo shown above is a beautiful and delicious variation of the traditional, English Trifle, and was in Bon Appetit's December 2007 issue; now on epicurious.com.  Since I did make this recipe, I can tell you without hesitation, that it's a showstopper in looks and in taste.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/White-Chocolate-Tiramisu-Trifle-with-Spiced-Pears-240701

Rumtopf

Thoughts of Christmas don't usually enter our thoughts in August, but for those who give food gifts, they do. Rumtopf is a wonderful rum-soaked fruit topping that is great way to take advantage of summer's fruits and prepare for gift-giving. My mother-in-law used only strawberries, but other fruits--even mixed--work out great for this dish. (Apples, bananas, and certain other berries are not recommended). We only serve ours over vanilla ice cream--something to do with tradition--but you can certainly use it to "spice" up pork or chicken.

The basic "recipe" or method:

Take your washed, fresh fruits (cut into pieces) and add an equal weight of sugar to a large crock or glass container. (I inherited a beautiful Rumtopf crock from my mother-in-law, photo shown). Add rum--dark or white--or mixed to cover fruit and sugar; stir. If necessary, weigh down the fruit with a dish to keep them submerged, then cover the crock. Do not seal if using a mason jar. Periodically, stir the mixture, and you can add new fruits with the addition of sugar and rum. It takes at least 6 weeks for the mixture to be ready for serving.....longer is fine, and refrigeration is not necessary. Just keep covered in a cool place. Enjoy!