Fall is upon
us. The yellowing of the leaves, the cool breezes in the morning, the last of
the tomatoes and zucchinis – I love all of it. It's time to start planning Fall
gatherings and dinners next to a toasty fireplace.
I recently had
a Fall picnic with friends while the weather was still warm. We had a great
afternoon with brisket, tomatoes with Buffalo mozzarella and St. Maure goat
cheese, zucchini "pappardelle" salad, grilled New Jersey corn,
grilled Andouille sausage, and desserts galore.
The dessert selection included
mini pavlovas with passion fruit filling
almond cake lollipops
mini Black
Forrest trifles
and lavender cream with rose petals trifle.
Here is the recipe for the Lavender Trifle.
Ingredients
One vanilla
cake layer, ladyfinger cookies, or pound cake
1/2 Cup simple
syrup (recipe follows), flavored with dark rum or brandy
2 Cups vanilla
mousseline, buttercream or cream cheese frosting, or your favorite frosting or
vanilla pudding
4 TBSP Lavender sugar (recipe follows)
4 to 6 Organic
rose petals, julienned and mixed with 1 TBSP granulated sugar
8 Small cups (or
1 medium size trifle vase)
Directions:
For the Simple Syrup:
In a saucepan, place equal parts of water and sugar. Turn heat on medium and bring just to a boil. Turn heat off and let cool to room temperature. Add dark rum or brandy to taste.
For the Lavender Sugar:
In a food processor, place 4 TBSP sugar with 2 teaspoons of dry or fresh lavender flowers.
Blend until mixed thoroughly.
To assemble the mini trifles:
1. Cut 24 small circles of cake that fit inside cups or cut the
ladyfingers into small pieces.
2. With a pastry brush, brush the
cakes or ladyfinger cookies with flavored simple syrup.
3. Put a circle
of cake (or piece of ladyfinger cookie) on the bottom of each cup or vase
4. Put the buttercream in a pastry bag and pipe a dollop of buttercream on top of the cake piece.
4. Sprinkle
some of the lavender sugar.
5. Repeat
layering two more times. Finish with buttercream, lavender sugar, and rose
petals.
6. I decorated
mine with a piece of pink macaron. Enjoy!
