Ginger, White Chocolate, and Strawberry Trifle

makes enough for 3-4 individually sized trifles

INGREDIENTS:

for white chocolate creme anglaise:
You will need ~1 cup of this recipe, so save the rest for another use.

• 6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 egg yolks
• 4 oz. whole milk
• 4 oz. heavy cream
• 2 Tbspn sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 vanilla bean

METHOD:

1. Place chopped white chocolate in a bowl with a fine sieve on top. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks until light. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine milk, cream, sugar, and salt. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the milk mixture and put the pod in as well.  Bring to a near simmer.
4. Whisking constantly, pour a small but steady stream of the heated milk and cream into the egg yolks to temper. Do this slowly, while whisking quickly. Once the milk and egg yolks are combined, return to the saucepan and to the stove.
5. Heat the egg yolks and milk mixture while stirring constantly, making sure to scrape the bottom so that nothing burns or sticks.  Slowly bring the mixture to a boil and cook until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about one minute.  Remove from heat immediately.
6. Pour the hot creme anglaise through the strainer onto the white chocolate.  Let sit for a minute and then whisk until the white chocolate completely melts.
7. Let cool completely in the refrigerator.

for ginger genoise:

• 50 grams flour
• 12 grams cornstarch
• 1 tspn ground ginger
• 4.5 Tbspn butter
• 1/2 tspn vanilla extract
• 6 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 88 grams sugar
• 2 Tbspn water
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped crystallized ginger (recipe below)

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  Prepare a quarter sheet pan, lined with parchment paper and then lightly greased and floured.
2. Combine flour, cornstarch, and ground ginger and set aside.
3. On the stove, heat the butter until the solids drop to the bottom and begin to brown.  Remove from heat immediately and strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids.  Add the vanilla extract to the liquid butter and keep warm.
4. In a mixer bowl over simmering water, combine the egg yolks and the sugar.  Whisk constantly until the mixture is almost hot to the touch.
5. Transfer the warmed egg yolks and sugar to the mixer and whisk on high for five minutes.
6. Add the water to the eggs and sugar, and whisk briefly on medium to combine.
7. Using a large balloon whisk, fold in the flour mixture to the eggs in two parts.
8. Fold in the melted butter and vanilla to the batter in two parts.  Do not overmix!
9. Fold in the chopped crystallized ginger, being careful not to overmix.
10. Immediately pour the batter onto the prepared pan.  Smooth out the batter, though it may not fill the whole pan–that’s okay.
11. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cake is golden and the top springs back when lightly pressed.  Remove from oven and cool.

for white chocolate creme anglaise cream:

• 2/3 – 1 cup of white chocolate creme anglaise, cold
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, cold
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

METHOD:

1. Whisk the white chocolate creme anglaise for a few seconds.  Set aside.
2. Using a large balloon whisk, whip the cream until soft peaks, gradually adding the powdered sugar.
3. Gently but quickly, fold in the creme anglaise to the whipped cream.  Use immediately.

for assembly:

• ginger syrup
• fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half
• chopped crystallized ginger, optional

METHOD:

1. Using a large round cookie cutter about the size of your trifle glass, cut out cake rounds from the genoise.
2. Brush the cake cut-outs liberally on both sides and all edges with ginger syrup.
3. In each trifle glass, layer cream, cake, and strawberries.  Top with extra chopped crystallized ginger and strawberries.

How to Make Candied Ginger

You don’t need a candy thermometer to make this. Simply keep an eye on the pot and when the liquid is the consistency of thin honey, it’s done and ready to go.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound (500g) fresh ginger, peeled
• 4 cups (800g) sugar, plus additional sugar for coating the ginger slices, if desired
• 4 cups (1l) water
• pinch of salt

METHOD:

1. Slice the ginger as thinly as possible. It can’t be too thin, so use a sharp knife.
2. Put the ginger slices in a nonreactive pot, add enough water to cover the ginger, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let ginger simmer for ten minutes. Drain, and repeat, simmering the ginger slices one more time.
3. Mix the sugar and 4 cups (1l) water in the pot, along with a pinch of salt and the ginger slices, and cook until the temperature reaches 225F (106C.)
4. Remove from heat and let stand for at least an hour, although I often let it sit overnight. Or if you want to coat the slices with sugar, drain very well while the ginger is hot, so the syrup will drain away better.
5. Store ginger slices in its syrup, or toss the drained slices in granulated sugar. Shake off excess sugar, and spread the ginger slices on a cooling rack overnight, until they’re somewhat dry. The sugar can be reused in a batter or ice cream base, or for another purpose.

Storage: The ginger, packed in its syrup, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one year. If you’re concerned with it crystallizing, add a tablespoon or two of corn syrup or glucose to the sugar syrup at the beginning of step #3. If tossed in sugar, the pieces can be stored at room temperature for a few months.