The trifle ‘reveal’ took place on Vava‘u Island, Tonga for Heilala’s First Annual Vanilla Harvest Event. As the massive bowl was paraded around the tables after a three-course luncheon I detected agonized sighs coming from the 22 guests as they protested: ‘No! No! Not the trifle!’, then whispers of ‘bacon bits in a dessert?’ But of course! I love the sweet–salty combination of crispy bacon, oozey vanilla caramel and hot fudge sauce. Needless to say, as the guests pushed back their chairs post-trifle I noticed all that remained in the bowl were a few cake crumbs and toasted almonds. And the bacon bits? Gone.
* To make alcohol-free, substitute pineapple or apple juice for the rum.
Photo by Manja Wachsmuth, Vanilla Table
Christmas lunch at Pub Grub-who wants Trifle from the cookie jar?
My vanilla writing Inspired mentor, the formidable but caring Tui Flower samples the Tonga Trifle at the Heilala Tongan lunch with lovely Joan Gilchrist keeping watch flanked by foodwriters Joan Gilchrist and Allyson Gofton.
Serves 12
Ingredients
VANILLA RUM BUTTERCAKE:
plain flour 3½ cups (425 g/15 oz)
baking powder 1 tsp
baking soda ½ tsp
fine sea salt ½ tsp
unsalted butter 1 cup (225 g/8 oz)
white sugar 1⅔ cups (340 g/12 oz)
large eggs, room temperature 4
yogurt or sour cream 1 cup (250 g/8 oz)
dark rum 1 Tbsp (15 ml/½ fl oz)
vanilla paste 1 Tbsp (15 ml/½ fl oz)
VANILLA AND RUM BUTTER GLAZE:
packed brown sugar 1 cup (170 g/6 oz)
golden or corn syrup 2 tsp (10 ml)
water 2 Tbsp (30 ml/1 fl oz)
salted butter 5 Tbsp (75 g/2½ oz)
dark rum 1 Tbsp (15 ml/½ fl oz)
pure vanilla extract or liqueur 1 Tbsp (15 ml/½ fl oz)
**JIM’S WHITE CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM:
plain flour 1 Tbsp (15 g/½ fl oz)
cornstarch/cornflour 1 Tbsp
white sugar ¼ cup (60 g/2 oz)
large egg, room temperature 1
whole milk 1½ cup (350 ml/12 fl oz)
white chocolate, chopped ½ cup (60 g/2 oz)
unsalted butter, softened 2 Tbsp (30 g/1 oz)
pure vanilla extract 2 tsp (10 ml)
light rum 1 Tbsp (15 ml /½ fl oz)
VANILLA CARAMEL SAUCE:
unsalted butter 1 cup (225 g/8 oz)
white sugar 2 cups (400 g/14 oz)
lemon juice 1½ Tbsp (25ml/¾ fl oz)
whipping cream, warmed 1¾ fl cups (420 ml/14 fl oz)
pure vanilla extract 1Tbsp (15 ml/½ fl oz)
HOT FUDGE SAUCE:
dark chocolate, chopped 2 cups (250 g/8 oz)
white sugar ¼ cup (50 g/1¾ oz)
fine sea salt ¼ tsp
golden syrup or light corn syrup ½ fl cup (120 ml/4 fl oz)
filtered water ¾ fl cup (180 ml/ 6 fl oz)
dark cocoa powder ¾ cup (70 g/2½ oz)
vanilla paste 1 Tbsp (15 ml/½ fl oz)
pure vanilla extract 1 Tbsp (15 ml/½ fl oz)
To Assemble
THE TONGA TRIFLE CHECKLIST:
whipping cream with a pinch of sugar and 2 tsp/10 ml pure vanilla extract 1fl (240 ml/ 8 fl oz)
vanilla rum buttercake, cooled 1
generous amount of gold rum* ½ fl oz (120 ml/4 fl oz)
**white chocolate pastry cream 1 batch-or sub vanilla ice cream
bananas, ripe with green tips (peeled weight) 4 (450 g/1 lb)
vanilla caramel sauce 1 batch
hot fudge sauce 1 batch
sliced almonds, toasted ½ cup (45 g/1½ oz)
unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted ½ cup (45 g/1½ oz)
vanilla candied bacon bits
Directions
Vanilla rum buttercake
Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C. Have all ingredients at room temperature. With 2 tsp of the butter, grease a Bundt/ tube pan (or 2 loaf pans) and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand-mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, cream butter and sugar at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Bring speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, until mixed, scraping down sides of bowl between each egg. In stages, with mixer on low speed, alternate flour mixture and yogurt, ending with flour. Add rum and vanilla paste and combine well. Spoon into prepared pan, smooth top and bake for 50–60 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes away clean.
Vanilla and rum butter glaze
In a small saucepan, heat sugar, golden syrup and water, with a big pinch of sea salt. Simmer to dissolve the sugar, then stir in butter. Continue to simmer for 1 minute, being careful not to boil. Remove from heat and whisk in rum and vanilla. While cake is still warm, prick all over with a long skewer, then slowly spoon over the glaze, allowing it to soak in. Cool cake completely before unmolding.
Jim’s white chocolate pastry cream
Sift flour, cornstarch and sugar into a bowl. Add egg and whisk until light and without any lumps. In a small non-aluminum pot, bring milk to a simmer. Whisk half of the milk into egg mixture until blended, then pour mixture back into pot. Set aside whisk and using a heat-resistant spatula or wooden spoon, stir constantly, cooking over medium–high heat until pastry cream comes to a simmer and thickens. Remove pot from heat and whisk in chocolate, butter, vanilla and rum. Blend until smooth. Cover the surface with plastic wrap while cooling to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate until needed.
Vanilla caramel sauce
Prepare an ice bath by filling a large metal bowl halfway with ice and cold water.
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Stream in sugar and big pinch of sea salt. Stir gently with a wooden or heat-resistant spoon until combined, to prevent lumps. When the sugar begins to caramelize, add lemon juice, which slows the sugar from caramelizing too quickly. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until sugar is a deep golden brown. Take off heat and stir in the warm cream in 4 stages, being careful to prevent splattering. Place pot in an ice bath, add vanilla and stir sauce occasionally as it cools and thickens. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Will keep chilled for 2 weeks.
Hot fudge sauce
Melt chocolate in double boiler, stirring occasionally, over barely simmering water. Turn off heat and keep warm. Whisk sugar, salt, golden syrup, water and cocoa powder to a simmer in a heavy pot over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1–2 minutes, slowly whisking to dissolve cocoa powder and to prevent burning on bottom of pan. Drizzle in melted chocolate and cook 2 minutes more, whisking continuously until thickened and glossy. Blend in vanilla paste and extract. Will keep chilled for 2 weeks.
Vanilla candied bacon bits
vanilla sugar 2 Tbsp/45g/1 ½ oz
pink peppercorns, freshly ground 2 Tbsp (45 g/1½ oz)
lightly smoked bacon 4 slices (125 g/4½ oz)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Mix vanilla sugar and pink peppercorns in a pie tin or small plate. Dredge the bacon in the mixture and lay on lined baking tray. Cook 25–30 minutes, turning over halfway through baking. (Do not be tempted to increase oven temperature as bacon will burn.) Remove from oven and drain on a cooling rack. Chop into bacon bits. If not crispy enough, scatter into a small dry sauté pan over medium heat and warm until crispy. Set aside until ready to use or for longer storage, cool completely and store chilled in an airtight container.
To assemble and serve
Whisk cream with vanilla until whipped.
Slice cake into pieces and make a layer in bottom of trifle dish or a large tall-sided glass bowl (4 qt/4 L). Add a generous splash of rum, and top with one-third of the pastry cream.
Slice bananas into rounds and arrange a third around sides and center of bowl.
Add spoonfuls of vanilla caramel sauce, then dollops of whipped cream.
Drizzle over a third of the fudge sauce, then sprinkle surface with a third each of the almonds and coconut.
Repeat layers, beginning with the rum-splashed cake slices, 2 more times.
Finish the top layer with whipped cream and fudge sauce. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to a day to allow the flavors to infuse.
When ready to serve, let trifle come to room temperature. Top with a generous amount of bacon bits and pass around the table with a large serving spoon – Enjoy!