Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Updated: OH MY HEAVENS, Y'ALL! This dessert was A-MAZ-ING!! You must make it! My mom & I laughed as we put the trifle together, thinking we'd made enough dessert for 15 people. We were wrong. It was gobbled up. I will definitely be making this dessert for Christmas with The Hub's family.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I am so excited to finally get to host a holiday at my home this year! My mom came in town early & I took the week off, so we've spent the past 3 days shopping & cooking.

For the most part, we're keeping our Thanksgiving meal pretty traditional...except for dessert. No pumpkin or pecan pies here. Instead we made mini coconut & mini chocolate pies, pecan tassies & a Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle. I can't tell you how excited I am about this trifle!!

It has several components - gingerbread, pumpkin mousse & whip cream - but each are easy to make. I promise. And it will be well worth it!

(I promise to update the recipe with step-by-step pictures after Thanksgiving. Right now I've got to go help my mom make the cinnamon rolls for tomorrow morning. YUMMY!). Update: I'm only going to do step-by-step on the mousse because the rest is pretty straight forward & I don't want to overload with pictures.

Gingerbread Ingredients:

* 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 3/4 cup plus molasses
* 2 large eggs
* 2 cups all purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cups chilled whipping cream
* 3/4 cup boiling water

(Adapted from Epicurious.com)


Pumpkin Mousse Ingredients:

* 1/4 cold water
* 1 packet (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin powder
* 1 (15-ounce can) pumpkin (not pie filling)
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
* 2 extra-large egg yolks
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

(Adapted from Foodnetwork.com)


Sweetened Whipped Cream Ingredients:

* 3 1/2 cups heavy cream
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla

Gingerbread Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan.

2. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until blended. Beat in 3/4 cup molasses.

3. Then add eggs 1 at a time.

4. Sift in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt; beat until blended.

5. Beat in 1/4 cup cream, then 3/4 cup boiling water.

6. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack.


Pumpkin Mousse Directions:

1. Place the water in a small sauce pan and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Set aside for 10 minutes for the gelatin to soften.


2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.


3. Put the sauce pan of water/gelatin over low heat and cook until the gelatin is clear. Immediately whisk the hot gelatin mixture into the pumpkin mixture.


4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture.


5. Try not to eat the mousse by the spoonful while you make the rest of the trifle.



Sweetened Whip Cream Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.


Trifle Assembly Directions:

1. Cut gingerbread into cubes. Arrange a single layer of cubes in circles on the bottom of a trifle dish.


2. Next, spread 1/3 pumpkin mousse over the gingerbread cubes.

3. Then spread 1/3 sweetened whipped cream over mousse.


4. Repeat layers two more times.

5. If desired, pipe whipped cream on for the last layer for a pretty finish.


6. Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but over night is best.

7. Top with crushed gingersnaps or a sprinkle of nutmeg just before serving.

ENJOY!!