Coconut Custard Trifle With Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream And Tropical Fruit With Macadamia Nuts Recipes

COCONUT AND TROPICAL FRUIT TRIFLE

Steps:

• To make the coconut custard, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk with the 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the saucepan, then drop in the pod.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and coconut milk until completely smooth. In another small bowl, whisk the egg yolks until combined.
• When the milk mixture is hot, stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, then whisk it into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. While whisking constantly, pour about one-third of the hot thickened milk into the egg yolks, then scrape the yolk mixture into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, just until the mixture begins to boil (it will be very thick). Remove from the heat and strain into a clean bowl. (The vanilla pod can be rinsed, dried, and used for another purpose; see page 14.) Stir in the 1 cup (70 g) coconut, and refrigerate until chilled. (To speed up the chilling, you can set the bowl containing the custard in a larger bowl filled with ice water.)
• To make the fruit filling, in a nonreactive skillet, gently cook the pineapple until it is heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool completely.
• Add the strawberries, mango, 6 tablespoons (75 g) sugar, lime juice, and rum to the pineapple and toss gently.
• To assemble the trifle, use a 2-quart (2-liter) rectangular baking dish with at least 3-inch (8-cm) sides. Remove the parchment paper from the sponge cake and cut out 2 pieces that each fit in the bottom of the baking dish. (You'll need the cake trimmings, so don't eat them!)
• Spread 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the coconut custard evenly in the bottom of the dish. Place one of the cake pieces on top. Spread half of the fruit filling and some of their juice over the cake.
• Spread about 1 cup (250 ml) of the coconut custard over the fruit, then place the second cake piece on top. Cover the cake with the remaining fruit filling and juice. Spread another 1 cup (250 ml) of the coconut custard over the fruit, and cover with the cake trimmings, fitting them in a single layer.
• Finally, spread the remaining coconut custard over the top and refrigerate, uncovered, for about 30 minutes to firm up the top layer of custard. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
• Scoop out big spoonfuls of the trifle so all the layers of fruit, cake, and custard can be seen. Strew toasted coconut over the top of each serving. The dessert is delicious by served all by itself, but even better in a pool of Raspberry Sauce (page 246), Mango Sauce (page 246), or Strawberry Sauce (page 248).
• This trifle will keep overnight, but if stored any longer, the juices from the fruit will make the cake too soggy.
• I prefer to use unsweetened coconut, but if you can only find sweetened coconut, reduce the sugar in the custard by 1 1/2 tablespoons.

TROPICAL TRIFLE

Steps:

• Place a medium heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan filled with a few inches of simmering water; make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Place the butter in the bowl and melt completely. Add the sugar, passionfruit juice and lemon juice and whisk until smooth and combined. Whisk in the eggs until smooth. Continue to cook, whisking every 1 to 2 minutes, until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes. The consistency will be similar to thin gravy. Strain into a clean bowl and cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (the curd will thicken as it cools), at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Put the coconut milk in a large bowl and sprinkle the pudding mix on top. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Switch to medium-high speed and blend until the mixture is completely smooth and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
• To assemble, spread 1/2 cup of the curd over the bottom of a large (about 3 quarts) glass trifle dish, then top with about half of the pound cake pieces, making sure there is one single layer of pound cake without any gaps. Top with half the pudding. Layer in 2 cups of raspberries, making sure to create a double ring against the outside edge of the trifle dish, so the color really shows through. Continue to layer the trifle dish with half of the whipped topping, the remaining pound cake, the remaining pudding, the remaining whipped topping and drizzle with the remaining curd.
• Place the kiwi rounds and blackberries along the edge of the trifle dish. Next, create a ring of raspberries working inwards. Pile the diced mango into the center of the trifle.