Inn On The Twenty’s Chocolate Cherry Trifle

Dive into summer with this delightful Chocolate Cherry Trifle, crafted by Pastry Chef Jayne Inouye, it’s a delicious way to enjoy Niagara’s cherry season. Layers of moist chocolate cake, succulent cherries, and smooth chocolate pastry cream come together in this trifle to create a treat that is simply indulgent. 

Chocolate Cherry Trifle 

Serves 12 people

Ingredients for the Chocolate Cake:

102 g White sugar
108 g Brown sugar
55g  Oil
120 g Coffee
75 g Eggs 
2 g Salt 
8 g Vanilla extract
175 g Flour
2 g Baking powder 
4 g Baking soda 
35 g Cocoa powder
115 g Buttermilk

Method for Chocolate Cake:

1. Mix all your cake ingredients together in a bowl and pour into a sprayed/lined 6” cake pan.
2. Bake at 350°F for 20 – 30 minutes or until center is fully cooked (springs back when touched)
3. Let cake cool on rack until completely cooled.
4. Demold your cake and cut into ½” x ½” cubes, set aside for assembly.

Ingredients for Chocolate Pastry Cream:

800 g Milk
160 g White sugar
200 g Egg yolks
64 g Corn starch
10 g Vanilla extract
20 g Cocoa powder
80 g Butter

Method for Chocolate Pastry Cream:

1. Warm your liquids to a simmer and temper it into your egg/sugar mixture
2. Bring back to the heat and cook until thick and shiny.
3. Add in the butter off the heat and let cool in a container with cling film touching the surface of the pastry cream, set aside for assembly.

Ingredients for Cherry Compote:

200 g Cherries, pitted
20 g White sugar
10 g Corn-starch
20 g Water

Method for Cherry Compote:

1. Bring cherries and sugar to a boil.
2. Once boiling, slowly add in the cornstarch slurry and stir constantly.
3. Cook until no longer cloudy, set aside for assembly.

Assembly:

1. Add in a layer of cake first.
2. Then add 4 tablespoons of your chocolate pastry cream.
3. Top with a few scoops of your cherries.
4. Repeat until your desired vessel is filled.
5. Chill if necessary or enjoy right away!

Tips:

Swap for boxed chocolate cake if that’s what you have on hand.