Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Trifle

Ingredients

For the Cake

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Syrup

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup chocolate-flavored liqueur, such as Godiva

For the Mousse

• 2 ½ cups heavy cream
• 12 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
• ½ cup coarsely chopped peppermint candies or candy canes

For the Pudding

• 8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature

For Serving

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped peppermint candies or candy canes

Directions

1. Preheat oven, prep cake pan, and heat milk and butter:Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Bring milk and butter almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Whisk dry ingredients; beat eggs:Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Put eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale and fluffy.Credit: Jason Donnelly
3. Add sugar, then vanilla, then hot milk mixture:Gradually add sugar, beating until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add hot milk mixture in a slow, steady stream.Credit: Jason Donnelly
4. Add flour mix, then pour batter into pan and bake:Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Pour batter into pan. Bake until center springs back when lightly touched, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Cool and halve cake:Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack. Remove parchment; let cool completely. Halve cake horizontally.Credit: Jason Donnelly
6. Make the syrup:Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Let cool completely. Stir in liqueur.Credit: Jason Donnelly
7. Make the mousse:Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring 1 cup cream just to a boil in a small saucepan. Place white chocolate in a food processor; with machine running, pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth.
8. Cool mousse:Transfer to a medium bowl set in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes.Credit: Jason Donnelly
9. Beat remaining cream and fold in chocolate mixture and candies:Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups cream to nearly stiff peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture, then fold in candies. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thickened and almost firm, 4 to 6 hours.Credit: Jason Donnelly
10. Make pudding:Put chocolate into a large bowl; set aside. Bring cream almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Whisk yolks in a bowl. Pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking.Credit: Jason Donnelly
11. Return mixture to pan and cook:Pour mixture back into pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.
12. Pour through sieve into chocolate; whisk, then chill:Pour through a fine sieve over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Set bowl in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.Credit: Jason Donnelly
13. Start assembling trifle:Remove mousse from refrigerator and whisk using a hand mixer until thick and spreadable. Spread one-third of mousse into bottom of trifle bowl. Top with cake layer, and brush with half syrup. Top with half of pudding, then another third of mousse.Credit: Jason DonnellyFor this recipe you need a glass trifle bowl that is 8 to 10 inches in diameter. (If it is 8 or 9 inches across you will need to trim the cake to fit it.)
14. Finish assembing trifle and chill:Place remaining cake layer on top; brush with remaining syrup. Top with remaining pudding, then mousse. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 12 hours.Credit: Jason Donnelly
15. Beat cream and use to top trifleWhisk cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Top trifle with the whipped cream, and sprinkle with candies.Credit: Jason Donnelly

Storing Chocolate Peppermint Trifle

To store the trifle, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap in the trifle bowl and refrigerate for up to two days.