Vanilla Coffee Trifle

Heavy and spicy sunday meals make desserts mandatory , to cool off the spice. And beaing just back from grocery shopping at hypercity with family , my kitchen is loaded with goodies!

In India, shopping is more of a family experience , an outing , rather than a boring routine or a compulsion , like in the western countries. Here we go out as a family to shop! Be it for clothes or grocery ( which was considered womens category , now no more!) We all like to consult each other before we buy anything. Mad rush at Big bazaars( 4 people pushing a single trolley) and other super markets , across the country , especially on weekends , just prove that right. ( yes ofcourse some may argue that Big bazaars are sasta) but hey , if you get a nice packed maal oops grocery , which is sasta and with a nice trolley and a/c experience , then why not? Why waste time standing at the local kiranaa store , where the customer is the most neglected person onboard!

Anyways , back to our dessert, I decided to make a  nice trifle today.And since I am quiet partial towards my chocolates and coffee , i tried pairing them together yet again.

About trifle, well , its just a very fancy firang name for a simple layered dessert made with cake, custard and cream.

Traditionally, a trifle is a dessert that is layered in a glass bowl, as to display each layer. The glass bowl is called a trifle bowl.

 

I like desserts which are visually appealing. The decoration plays a very important role here but the ingredients used for the decorations should compliment the dessert.

This recipe has got shades of Pannacotta (which is an Italian desert).

Ingredients:

2 cups            Milk

1 cup              Fresh Cream

1 cup              Sweetened Condensed milk

1 tsp               Vanilla Essence

1/2 cup           Sugar

3 tsp               Gelatine

1 tsp               Instant Coffee Powder

1/4 cup           Brandy(optional)

1/2 cup           Any crushed biscuits (I used almond biscotti)

White and Dark chocolate curls or shavings for decoration.

Method:

Dissolve the gelatine in warm water and leave it for 10 mins to bloom.

Boil the Milk with the fresh cream, sugar, vanilla and the condensed milk. Add the gelatine and the brandy and mix thoroughly. Divide the milk in two pans. In one pan add the vanilla essence and in the other add the coffee powder. Now strain the coffee mixture to remove any lumps. Let them cool.

Crush the biscuits and add 2 tsp of condensed milk. 

In a bowl or a long stemmed glass, put in the layer of crushed biscuits. Next pour in the vanilla layer. Put in the fridge to set. It will take about 15 mins. Remove from fridge and pour in the coffee layer. Put it in the fridge to set again for 15 mins. 

Remove and decorate with chocolate shavings. You can also use whipped cream.

This dessert can be set in individual glasses or bowls or can be made in one large bowl and then cut and served.