Dark Sweet Cherry and Chai Tea Trifle

Welcome to December, my dearest friends. We are cold to the bone, we are still full from Thanksgiving, and our hunger shouldn’t return until we are into the first day of January. Let’s bundle up, let’s take out our sweaters that we’ve tucked under our beds and let’s wear them with pride. And while we’re at it, let’s make all the desserts and bring them to all the parties. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, I’ve heard.

Our house has had a significant makeover with all of our Christmas decorations that have been tucked in the garage for about 11 months now. I only lost one candle, shaped like an evergreen, to the August heat wave, but we press on. We are deep into our holiday movie collection and cookies have been chilled, shaped and baked to perfection. I see no end in sight, either. The only cure for my holiday cheer is December 26^th. And we are not there yet.

We still have plenty of places to be, people to hug, gifts to wrap, and desserts to make. All with lots of love and some fruit to make sure we are getting some well-deserved nutrients.

If you are in the mood to impress I have this recipe for Dark Sweet Cherry and Chai Tea Trifle made with Oregon Fruit Products Dark Sweet Cherries that were canned during the prime picking season. It’s ready to meet us where we are, a place filled with celebrations, music and not a lot of fresh fruit to be found. Thanks for meeting our fruit needs sans high fructose corn syrup, BPA, and GMO. All that stuff that has no place in our diet. Just fresh fruit, canned in water and cane sugar, at the ready year-round (not to mention nationwide).

The trifle is a traditional holiday English dessert that is, in my opinion, way better than a figgy pudding. Today, we are making it with pound cake, vanilla pudding cooked with a cinnamon stick, Oregon Fruit Products Dark Sweet Cherries, and a chai tea simple syrup. The best part about this dessert is you can customize it to your preference. Use more chai tea simple syrup for a sweeter, more intense flavor or, hold back for a simple dessert that is ready to let all the ingredients shine on their own. Choices.

Now, if you’re thinking “Well, Karlee, I’d love to make this trifle but I have no trifle dish to speak of.” It’s funny you say that! Oregon Fruit will be giving away this trifle dish and servings spoons (from Crate and Barrel) to a lucky winner on my Instagram page. So, if you find yourself so inclined, take a visit and enter the giveaway before it closes on December TBA.

In conclusion, we are all thankful for December. And for family. And for the joy of sharp, crisp nights and cozy firesides (even if they are just gas-burning). Nonetheless, we are warm. We are filled.

Thank you, Oregon Fruit Products for sponsoring this post and being a brand that brings fresh fruit to our Decembers.

You can find Oregon Fruit Products nationwide. Their commitment to Non-GMO, No High Fructose Corn Syrup, Non-BPA lining is why I rave about them to my friends, family, and you.

Dark Sweet Cherry and Chai Tea Trifle

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A holiday trifle dessert that’s perfect for a crowd with Oregon Dark Sweet Cherries and a chai tea simple syrup that will have you wanting more.

• Author: Karlee Flores
• Prep Time: 3 hours
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

Three cans of Oregon Fruit Products dark sweet cherries, drained

2 ½ cups whipping cream

|| Vanilla Pudding ||

(One large package of vanilla pudding cooked to directions, OR)

4 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

Pinch of kosher salt

5 large egg yolks, beaten

1 cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

|| Pound Cake ||

(One package of pre-baked frozen pound cake, OR)

3 sticks unsalted butter

3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup whole milk

|| Chai Tea Simple Syrup ||

2 cups hot water

2 bags of black tea

2 cups sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

|| Vanilla Pudding || Heat 4 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until steaming.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.

Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture until smooth, then gradually whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Add the cinnamon stick and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils. Remove cinnamon stick. Continue to cook mixture until it has thickened to a pudding-like consistency, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Cool slightly and continue to stir pudding every few minutes to prevent a skin from forming. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding and refrigerate until completely cooled.

|| Pound Cake || Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer bowl alternately with the milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Add the vanilla. Pour into a greased 13” x 9” pan and bake for 25–30 minutes. Baking time can vary depending on the baking pan’s size and thickness. Keep a close eye on the cake as it bakes and remove when done.

Once cake has cooled, cut into 1-inch square shapes and place in the freezer for about two hours until set.

|| Chai Tea Simple Syrup || Brew the bags of black tea with the hot water and let steep for 5 minutes.

In a small saucepan, add the rest of the ingredients. Once the tea has finished steeping, add to the sugar/spice mixture and turn the burner on medium. When the mixture has come to a slow boil, set the timer for 15 minutes. Do not stir once the mixture has started its boil. 

|| Assembly || Layer 1/3 of the pudding, 1/3 of the pound cake, one can of drained dark sweet cherries, and chai tea simple syrup (using up to a third of the simple syrup or less) and repeat until all the ingredients are finished (reserving a few cherries for the top)

Whip the whipped cream until soft peaks form. The last layer will be a thick layer of whipped cream. 

Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.