Strawberry Trifle Pudding

If you read my earlier post of pudding, it used setting agents like china grass..I am sharing a different pudding which does not contain any of setting agent..One of the pudding I am sharing is Trifle pudding..As in a name, it consists of three layer...There are many types of trifle pudding, which may use fruits, nuts, chocolate etc..But I am sharing a strawberry flavored one i.e 'Strawberry Trifle Pudding'..Bottom layer of pudding consists of cake pieces,second layer custard and third layer whipped cream with sliced strawberries on top..Each layer is sandwiched with homemade strawberry sauce..It is my own version of pudding..It is easy to make and tastes delicious...My family loved it very much..Let us go straight to the recipe :)

    Ingredients

      It includes four steps: Preparing cake, custard, strawberry sauce and whipped cream..It may look       lengthy. But you can prepare these in advance and assemble later, so its easy for you..Ingredients       are mentioned in short below and detailed preparation are explained later..They are:

• Cake -  recipe given below
• Strawberry sauce - recipe given below
• Vanilla custard - recipe given below
• Whipped cream - preparation given below.
• Strawberries sliced - few for garnishing
• Grated dark chocolate - few for garnishing ( optional)

   Method

      1)  For cake

          Ingredients

• All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
• Eggs - 2 no.s
• Oil - 1/4 cup
• Vanilla / strawberry essence - 1 tsp
• Milk - 2 tbsp ( if required)

          Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 degree C..

•  In a bowl, mix all purpose flour, baking powder and set aside.

•  In a large bowl, add oil and sugar beat till it combines well..

•  Add eggs and beat well at a high speed till double in size..

•  Add vanilla/strawberry essence and beat for one second..

•  Add half flour mixture and beat at a low speed and make sure to scrap the batter at edges and    beat again..

• Add remaining flour and beat again at low speed..If the batter is very thick, add milk and beat again..

• Pour the batter in a greased cake tin and bake it for 30 to 35 mins till fork/ knife/ tooth pick insert in the centre comes out clean..

• Place the cake in a wire rack and allow to cool completely..

     2) For Custard

          Ingredient

• Vanilla custard powder - 1 tbsp
•  Milk - 2 cups
•  Sugar - 2 to 3 tbsp

        Method

• Mix custard powder in a half cup of cold milk without any lumps and keep aside..

• In a sauce pan, boil one and half cups of milk and sugar..Stir well in a low flame until sugar     dissolves completely..

• Add custard milk into it and stir well in a medium flame for 2 to 3 mins till custard becomes thick or if it coats on a back of a spoon..Immediately lower the flame and stir for few seconds..It should not form too thick..Off the stove and set aside to cool completely..It thickens further when it cools down..

      3) For strawberry sauce

               Ingredients

•  Fresh ripe strawberries halved - 10 to 12 no.s
•   Sugar - 3 tbsp
•   Water - 1 cup

            Method

•  Boil strawberries, sugar and water together in a sauce pan till strawberries become soft and the sauce thickens..

•  Off the flame and mash the strawberries with a spoon..It doesn't matter if you leave little bits of strawberry pieces.

•  Transfer into bowl and allow to cool completely..

    4) For whipped Cream

         Ingredients

• Whipping cream - 200 gm
• Powdered Sugar - 3 tbsp
• Corn flour - 1 tsp.

        Method

• In a large bowl, beat cold whipping cream in a medium speed for few seconds..

• Add powdered sugar and corn flour and beat at high speed till it form a soft peaks..Do not overbeat..

• Instead of sugar and cornflour, you can use icing sugar..

• Refrigerate the whipped cream..

    For Layering the pudding

• Cut the cake into small cubes and set aside..

• Take a wide pudding dish of any shape of your choice..Arrange cake pieces evenly without any gap as shown in the picture..This is first layer.

• Spread half of strawberry sauce on top of the cake pieces..

• Then spread custard on top of strawberry sauce..This is second layer.

• If having space you can top it with remaining cake pieces..I don't have space so I ignore this step..

• Spread remaining strawberry sauce on top of custard and place few slices of strawberry here and there..

• Finally spread cold whipped cream on top of it and decorate it with sliced strawberries and grated dark chocolate ( optional)..This is third layer.

• Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to infuse the flavour..

• Cut it into squares and serve chilled..

       Note:

• In order to save time,instead of baking cake, you can use store bought or left over cake and instead of homemade strawberry sauce you can use strawberry jam..But homemade tastes better..