Jello & Custard Trifle
The jello & custard trifle is a very easy and delicious dessert that is a core memory during my childhood. This is one of the easy desserts that moms in Lebanon choose to make for their kids. To make this even faster, you can substitute making the custard for store bought pudding.
Recipe: (this picture shows half the recipe)
Custard:
3 cups whole milk
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla or 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup corn starch
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp water
Other Layers:
5-10 Digestive biscuit or graham cracker or any available tea biscuits (based on desire)
1 Strawberry Jell-O Packet (store bought, follow package instructions)
Directions:
In a small pot, add the milk, half the amount of sugar, and the vanilla. Stir well and place on a low heat on the stove top. You just need to make the milk hot, not boiling.
In another bowl, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Just put the egg yolks in a bowl. You can reserve the egg whites for another dessert.
Add the remaining amount of sugar with the egg yolks and mix well. Then add the corn starch a little at a time while mixing. You might get a tough paste, but keep mixing until no lumps remain and the yolk mixture is kind of a thick liquid.
Turn off the heat under the milk once the milk is hot and steam is coming from it.
Tempering the eggs: This is the magic custard step! (To avoid making scrambled eggs, haha) Add about a few tablespoons of the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture and stir quickly, then add another few tablespoons and repeat the steps above until you use half the amount of milk with the egg yolks.
Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk. Return to the stove top on medium heat, and constantly mix fast over the heat until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
Prepare the serving dish you want to layer your trifle in, place one layer of biscuit on the bottom. Then spread half the custard on the biscuits. Then add another layer of biscuits on the custard.
In a small bowl add the cocoa powder and water. Make it a paste and then pour it on the remaining custard in the pot. Mix the custard and the cocoa powder fast to make a chocolate custard.
Pour the chocolate custard on top of the second layer of biscuit. Cover the serving dish with a wrap and allow it to cool. You can place it in the fridge to cool faster. Note: Do not put Jell-O on hot custard becomes it starts breaking apart.
Once the custard is cooled. Make the Jell-O, follow package instructions and pour on top of the chocolate custard. Then place in the fridge for 4 hours or in the freezer for the Jell-O to become firm faster.
Cut with a spatula or spoon and Enjoy! Sahtean!
