Chocolate Delight Holiday Trifle

Disclosure: I am a Blog Ambassador for Walkers Shortbread. I was provided free product to try and was not compensated for this post. All thoughts are my own.

For the past few months I've been an ambassador for Walkers Shortbread and have been able to try many of their amazing cookies and create recipes with them. I've discovered that Walkers is a wonderful company, committed to bringing tasty products with all natural ingredients. What I love about Walkers is they've kept true to their traditions of simple cookies with few ingredients, while continually adding more flavors and variety to their product line. For me it's a bit difficult to choose a favorite Walkers cookie flavor, I really do love them all. This month I received an amazing box of products that I could make a Holiday Dessert with, but this time I also received a few products from another company with the same values as Walkers. In addition to many other goodies, I received two flavors of preserves from Bonne Maman. With these preserves there's no artificial coloring and no preservatives. All ingredients are all natural and produced from the highest quality fruits. In addition to that, the jar design is simple and refreshing. I'm a fan!

I decided I wanted to incorporate the preserves into this months dessert and create something a little different. The thing I enjoy most about using Walkers with my dessert recipes, is that because they are made with simple ingredients it encourages me to streamline that into the rest of my recipe. So for this months decadent dessert I decided to make a Holiday trifle. This trifle incorporates some pretty delicious flavors and the spices and seasonings I used are straight from the Holiday table. I used my Banana Pudding recipe as a base for the custard, switching out a bit of the vanilla extract with some almond extract and adding a bit of ginger and nutmeg while doubling the recipe to create a larger dessert. I also decided to use the Golden Plum Preserves (which are AMAZING on their own!) and adding some fruit with it into the trifle. I had a large bag of dark plums and I decided to "candy" them by adding a bit of sugar and cinnamon to a pot in order to soften them up. In addition, I infused my whipped cream with some cinnamon and toasted some coconut for a topping. Originally I was just going to drizzle some melted chocolate atop the whipped cream and sprinkle with the coconut, but last minute I decided I wanted to make some chocolate pudding and incorporate that as additional layer. I'm so glad that I did! It totally changes this dessert and took it from delicious to decadent and delightful! Everything is better with chocolate, am I right? I found a very easy chocolate pudding recipe online, and I have to say it tasted even better than store bought pudding, and it was SO EASY with just six ingredients!

The result is a very decadent and flavorful Holiday dessert. The chocolate pudding mixed with the plum preserves gives such an amazing flavor. The hints of holiday spices mixed with the delicious butter shortbread and toasted coconut is an explosion of flavors. It's a large dessert and because it's so decadent you don't need too much to be satisfied. Due to that, this would be great to bring to a holiday potluck. Really, this is the only dessert you need, and you could even add a few drops of spiced rum over the cookies for an extra treat.

Custard:

• 4 cups milk
• 1-1/3 cup white sugar
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger powder
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine

Candied Plums:

• 8 ripe plums, halved with pits removed
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Infused Whipped Cream:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Finishing Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups chocolate pudding, you can use instant pudding or you can make your own like I did with this recipe (amazing!)
• two boxes Walkers Pure Butter Shortbread Rounds
• 1 jar (13 ounces) Golden Plum Mirabelle Preserves
• 2 tablespoons toasted coconut (here's some great tips to help you)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan combine the milk, sugar, cornstarch, eggs, salt, ginger and nutmeg.

Whisk ingredients together thoroughly, then continue whisking over medium heat. After about 10 minutes the mixture will begin to thicken. Be sure to whisk consistently until then!

After about 2-3 minutes of feeling the thicker consistency, remove from heat. It should not be watery like a soup, instead it should be about the consistency of pudding.

Add extracts and butter, stirring with whisk to combine until butter is melted.

Pass through a mesh sieve then refrigerate to set.

While the custard is setting, cut up the plums, removing the pits.

Place in a medium pot and pour the sugar and cinnamon over them. 

Stir to combine, then turn the heat to medium. Stir every so often until sugar has dissolved and plums reach their desired consistency. Place in a bowl to cool, then set aside. Prior to building the trifle, cut the plum halves into quarters to layer in the trifle.

Now prepare your whipped cream. 

Just add all ingredients to a large bowl and combine using a hand or stand mixer set to medium speed.

Continue to mix until all ingredients are well combined, and stiff peaks begin to form. 

Refrigerate until needed.

Using a trifle dish or glass bowl, begin to build the trifle.

Layer the cookies at the bottom of the dish, then a few of the plums.

Top with half of the preserves, spreading evenly. 

Then top with more plums.

Layer half of the custard on top, smoothing it out to the edges of the dish.

Then layer half of the chocolate pudding on top.

Cover the pudding with half of the whipped cream, then repeat the process!

Once complete, add a few more cookies for decoration and a couple plum slices if you have any.

Sprinkle with toasted coconut for an amazing finishing touch.

Refrigerate for an hour or more and serve.

Enjoy!

You can receive an exclusive 20% discount off your total purchase of Walkers Shortbreads (excluding sale items) with the promo code KMHFALL. This code expires on Monday, November 4, 2013, so be sure to get your orders in & take advantage of the great discount!