Thursday, December 16, 2010

Dreamsicle Trifle

Just this once, I will tell you some things about the future. Usually I would not do so because of the terrible, horrifying consequences that could result from disrupting the time line, but this dessert is really good. So keep it under your hats, but right after the cupcake phase has waned, puddings will rise. The recent history of above-average cakes and puddings will then lead naturally into a resurgence of the trifle.

I will let you in on this particular trifle recipe both because it is fantastically delicious, and because it seems to date back to right now. So that's all right!



Dreamsicle Trifle
2 large cans mandarin oranges
1 small pkg. orange gelatin powder
1 pint orange sherbet
1 cup whipping cream, whipped (no sugar or vanilla, just whipped.)
1 angel food cake, cubed
whipped topping

Drain 1 cup liquid from mandarin oranges. Bring to a boil in the microwave. Add gelatin, and stir to dissolve. Cool until just warm. Add orange sherbet, and mix until melted. Gently fold in whipped cream. It is okay if there are uneven streaks, just don't smash those fluffy whipped cream bubbles. Put half the cake cubes in the trifle dish (or other dish that is not as fancy), cramming them together so they will stay in a tight layer. Pour half the orange mixture over the top, cover with a thin layer of whipped topping, and top with half the oranges. On top of the oranges, put the remaining of the cake cubes in, pour over the remaining orange mixture, cover with the remaining oranges, and cover with whipped topping. Refrigerate.


Bonus Garnish Tip:
For attractive orange curls, use a tool like the one shown below (or skill with a knife) to make a long strip of orange peel.



Wind it around a drinking straw, secure the ends with tape, and freeze overnight.

22 comments:

Cari said...

That looks delicious!

(I spent the whole of yesterday reading every entry on your blog. I adore it, very much. I collect cookbooks and do time travel kitchen sorts of things, too. I could not believe it when I stumbled onto your blog in an online search. *happy dances*)

:D

Jana said...

Oh gosh. Thanks very much! Welcome, and I hope to see you again!

Kathleen said...

Is this orange fluffy in a trifle bowl???

Jana said...

It MAY be an altered version of what you might call orange angel dessert (double the cake and like quadruple the oranges, plus layers of whipped cream), but I can neither confirm nor deny this.

Nonna said...

Oh, how wonderful...I loved Dreamsicles as a child from the Good Humor Ice Cream Man. It is so pretty to look at with those orange peel Curley - Q's on top...I can almost taste it !!!

Jana said...

Dreamsicles are GREAT.

Jenny Jo said...

Wow, a trifle! In a trifle dish!! How inspiring! Maybe since I have big family Christmas coming up, I should make one myself, in my own poor neglected trifle dish.

Meg Arlene said...

It looks yummy!

Jana said...

Jenny Jo, a trifle bowl is a terrible thing to waste. Let me know if you make it and like it!

Miss Kagashi said...

I seriously hope trifles make a comeback. For a recent steampunk New Year's party I had a limited budget, so I made trifle from a couple of pannetonne cakes that were on sale because it was after Christmas.

I watered them down with hazelnut coffee syrup and layered with berries and cream made from whipped topping (the shame!) and sour cream with a hit of moar hazelnut!

Seriously going to have to try this though.

Jana said...

Oh, they will. ;) Especially as trifles are so easy to make from miscellaneous stuff, as you did!

tammie said...

can this be made the night before?

tammie said...

can this be made the night before?

Jana said...

Absolutely! It's even better when all the ingredients have some time to snuggle.

Anonymous said...

I am a hotel pastry chef and I have a party coming up for which the clients have asked that I serve this. My question is this: what is the yield on this? I need to know this so that I can adjust it to make at least 350 small servings. Don't worry, I won't be serving your recipe as mine, I am simply using this as a basis for what I will do.

Jana said...

Oh, gosh. I'm not sure. You may have better luck looking up the average number of servings from a standard trifle dish. At a guess, I'd say 20?

Anonymous said...

I plan to make this recipe for guests this weekend. I noticed lots of comments but did anyone make it?

tammie said...

I made it for Easter and it was delicious!

Jana said...

I don't think many people will see this, but for what it is worth, I took it to a work Christmas party a couple years ago, and it was scraped clean. One guy STILL calls me "the one that made that orange thing."

Anonymous said...

I'd like to make this today! I have a few questions. Where does the whipping cream come into play? Do you only need one 8 oz whipped topping, and do you need the drained juice from the oranges for anything? Thank you!

Anonymous said...

We love this Trifle! The only changes I made was to use 2 tubs of Cool Whip instead of the whipping cream.

Jana said...

Delicious!