Hello Fall!….wherever you are….It’s been so blazing hot in Southern California it feels like the longest, hottest summer on record! So what do you do? You fake it! Make the flavors that remind you of fall and maybe she will peak her little head out and say hello. Ginger and cinnamon with a little, or a lot, of whip cream will do it for me every time!
My husband and I have been dreaming and planning for several years about the RV we were going to buy. Now it has become a reality! We are still pinching ourselves as we get ready to travel this great, big, beautiful country of ours. We picked up our baby in Utah after it was freshly delivered from the factory in Redbay Alabama. As we drove it back to San Diego, with several camp outs along the way, we met some of the greatest people! Everything we had hoped the RV experience would be!
Why go all the way to Utah you might ask? Because they were the nicest people to work with at General RV in Draper Utah and they gave us the “Screaming Deal” on the 2016 Tiffin 37AP we had been looking for. And we got to customize it to our liking! Service, pricing and have it your way! You bet! 🙂
So now the fun and challenges begin. The learning curve is huge since this is our first RV! We have to figure out where to put our big baby when we’re not on the road and our cat Kato has to get acclimated to his house rolling down the road. It’s gonna take practice and we are very excited to practice like crazy!
Before we hit the road next week for the rest of the year, we are having our friends Steve and Carolyn over for dinner, but they don’t know it is a “progressive party!” I asked Carolyn to bring the appetizers and when they show up we are going to the RV for cocktails and appetizers. They haven’t seen the RV yet so it should be great fun!
Our friends arrive with Crab Fondue and crusty bread from one of our favorite restaurants, The Brigantine! Oh, YUM! David has prepared his famous killer Cosmo recipe and the police arrive before we even get to the front door. A neighbor called to say they didn’t like the RV parked in the cul-de-sac around the corner from their house. The very nice policeman laughed and said he expected to find a beat up old RV parked right in front of someone’s house. We had our parking permit and were doing all the right things so he told us to carry on and have fun. So we did!
We “progressed” back to our house for dinner, dessert and, as always, lively conversation! Dinner was Chicken Thigh Ragu over Cheesy Polenta with green salad. And then, there was dessert! Sweets are not generally my thing but this was so amazing! Carolyn kept remarking about how light it was with the perfect amount of sweetness. – “Gimme the recipe! ” Gingerbread and butterscotch pudding layered with cinnamon spiced whip cream was just the ticket for the Call to Fall! Now we are waiting for her to show herself!
Here you go Carolyn! Here’s your recipe and your chance to coax Fall out for us!
Gingerbread Trifle
Prepare and bake gingerbread according to package directions. So easy!
Pour the gingerbread batter into a greased 9 inch round or square cake pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
For the pudding, combine pudding mix and milk in a large saucepan. Stir until smooth. Cook and continue to whisk the mixture over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Cook and whisk for 1-2 minutes longer until thickened.
Remove from heat and cool. Cover the top with plastic wrap so a skin doesn’t form on top. My husband loves the thick skin that will form on top if you don’t cover it. Happy childhood memories for him!
Whip the cream and add vanilla, sugar and cinnamon. Now chill.
Cut gingerbread into cubes and set aside for assembly.
In a 2-quart glass serving bowl or trifle dish place half of the cubed gingerbread cake and gently press down. I chilled the trifle bowl before assembling too. It’s really a flower vase but it’s got a cool shape!
Top with half of pudding mixture….
…and half of whipped topping.
Repeat the layers. Lick the bowls and spoons! Share with the husband! Yum-O Yum-O Yum!
Cover and refrigerate. I like to make all the components ahead of time and chill all of them, then assemble the trifle 4-6 hours before serving. It will remain firm and not get soggy for about a day if you need to make it ahead.
Top with Spicy Pecans before serving. Fall on a plate! 🙂 Come out, come out wherever you are! We are ready for Fall!
- 1 package of gingerbread mix ( I like Betty Crocker)
- 1 egg
- 1 3.5 ounce package butterscotch pudding mix (Cook not Instant)
- 2 cups of milk
- 2 cups Heavy Whip Cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Spicy Pecans for topping
- Prepare and bake gingerbread according to package directions using a greased 9 inch round or square cake pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
- For the pudding, combine pudding mix and milk in a large saucepan. Stir until smooth. Cook and continue to whisk the mixture over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Cook and whisk for 1-2 minutes longer until thickened.
- Remove from heat and cool. Cover the top with plastic wrap so a skin doesn’t form on top.
- Whip cream and add vanilla, sugar and cinnamon and chill.
- Cut gingerbread into cubes and set aside for assembly.
- In a 2-quart glass serving bowl or trifle dish place half of the cubed gingerbread cake and gently press down. Top with half of pudding mixture and half of whipped topping. Repeat layers again.
- Cover and refrigerate. I like to make all the components ahead of time and chill then assemble the trifle 4-6 hours before serving. It will remain firm and not get soggy for about a day if you need to make it ahead.
- Top with Spicy Pecans before serving.
Michele,
This looks delicious and delightfully simple. Thinking I will use this as one of my Thanksgiving desserts. We are still on the road in our RV and anticipate being home Monday. Excited for you about your upcoming RV adventures.
Judy ~ It really is easy! Perfect for Thanksgiving and you can double it if your crowd is bigger! Don’t you love a recipe that looks and tastes like you knocked yourself but you didn’t? Enjoying our travels and looking forward to the holiday with family! Happy ones to you and yours!
This is a fabulous fall dessert. Thanks Michele!
This looks delicious!!