Chocolate Chip Cream Trifle

Chocolate Chip Cream Trifle

Special Supplies:

*Parchment Paper

*1/2 Baking Sheet

*3 inch Round Cookie Cutter

*2 quart Trifle Bowl

Yellow Cake:

Ingredients:

*1 cup Butter, slightly softened

*1 and 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar

*6 Eggs, room temperature

*Zest and Juice from 1 Lemon

*2 cups All-purpose Flour

*2 teaspoons Baking Powder

*1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Directions:

Pre-heat oven 350*F. 

In a stand mixer on medium-low speed with paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar.  Then add lemon zest, lemon juice and eggs one at a time.  Mix until incorporated. 

In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to the cream mixture adding a cup at a time, mix just until combined.  Pour cake batter into 1/2 baking dish covered with parchment paper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Allow cake to cool, using a round cookie cutter, cut out the circles. 

Cream Filling/Topping

Ingredients:

*2 cups Whole Ricotta Cheese, place in strainer to remove liquid

*Zest of 1 Lemon

*3/4 cup Powdered Sugar, sifted

*1 teaspoon Cinnamon

*Pinch Nutmeg

*Pinch of Kosher Salt, literally 

*1 cup Mini Chocolate Chips, placed in a bowl, set aside

In a bowl, add the above ingredients, whisk together and set aside 

Stabilized Cream Mixture:

*2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

*2 tablespoons Cream Cheese

*2 heaping tablespoons Powdered Sugar

In a stand mixer with whisk attachment and a chilled bowl, add whipping cream beat until stiff peaks. Add the cream cheese and powdered sugar and whip/mix until incorporated and fold into the above ricotta mixture.

Assemble:

In the 2 quart trifle bowl. Add scattered layer of mini chocolate chips.  

Dip each round cut cake disk, (sticky side) into the bowl of mini chocolate chips and place in trifle bowl side chips facing outward and repeat all around the trifle bowl, also add plain cake disks to the bottom of bowl on top of mini chocolate chips.  Spoon or pipe 1/2 of the cream filling to the top of the round cake disk layer and repeat with a second layer and top the finished trifle with mini chocolate chips.

Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.

Recipe Adapted from Food Network

Enjoy!

Lindy

Split Pea Soup Crock Pot Style

Split Pea Soup Crock Pot Style

Ingredients:

*1 smoked Ham Hock

*8 cups Homemade Chicken Stock 

*1 package 16 ounce dried Green Split Peas, rinsed and drained

*2 cups sliced Carrots

*3 tablespoons Bottled Garlic

*Bundle of tied (kitchen twine) thyme Sprigs, around 8 sprigs

*2 large Whole Bay Leaves

*Freshly ground Sea Salt and Black Pepper

*2 large Yellow Onion, diced

*3-4 tablespoons Extra Light Olive Oil

*2 cups sliced Carrots

*13 ounces Smoked Turkey Kielbasa, cut in slanted pieces and sear in a cast iron pan

*Chopped Parsley, Garnish

Directions:

In a crockpot add liner for easy cleanup.

In a hot cast Iron skillet with olive oil, add onions and sauté 2 to 3 minutes.  Then add sliced carrots and sauté another  2 to 3 minutes.  Add the onions and carrots to a blender and blend until nearly smooth and add to the crockpot.

Add to the crockpot the ham hock, chicken stalk, green split peas, garlic, thyme bundle, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  

Cook on low, in the crock pot 3 to 6 hours. Note:  Add 1/2 cup water to the soup, only if soup thickens to much during cooking.

Remove the sprigs bundle/sticks and bay leaves and discard before serving.

Just before serving pan sear the sliced kielbasa.  Add to top of each split pea soup serving bowl, garnish with parsley.

Recipe adapted from food network Ina Garten

Enjoy!

Lindy