Spice Up Holiday Desserts With Trifle Recipes From Le Cordon Bleu

STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — Forget traditional cupcakes and cookies, its time to enjoy trifles!

Chef Chanel Martinez of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Hollywood visited the CBS2 This Morning set Friday to get viewers in the holiday spirit.

Red Velvet Cake Trifles with Peppermint Buttercream (10 servings)
Cake
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks softened)
• 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon vinegar
• 1 ½ oz. red food coloring
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly spray a 1/2 sheet cake pan (jelly roll pan) with nonstick baking spray. Be sure to get in all the corners of the pan.
• Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Add vinegar, red food coloring and stir. Set aside.
• Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk/egg mixture until all combined.
• Pour batter into prepared sheet cake pan. Use a large offset spatula or knife to even out the surface. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
Buttercream
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil
• Crushed peppermint candies for garnish
Directions
• Beat together butter until light and fluffy, add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until texture is fluffy.
• Add in milk until combined.
• Stir in peppermint oil
Assembly of Trifles
• With a 2 inch round biscuit cutter, cut out circles from the red velvet sheet cake.
• Layer cake circle in small 2 in plastic trifle cup or wine glass; add a layer of the peppermint buttercream, another layer of red velvet cake.
• Top with buttercream and sprinkle some crushed peppermint candies.

Toast to the New Year Trifle (10 Servings)
Cake
• 5 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 5 egg whites
• 2/3 cup cake flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
Directions
• Beat egg yolks until thicken and lemon colored.
• Gradually add 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, the lemon juice and the lemon zest.
• Beat egg whites until almost stiff then gradually beat in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar.
• Beat until stiff peaks form.
• Fold yolk mixture into whites.
• Sift dry ingredients into a separate container.
• Add to egg mixture, folding in carefully.
• Fold in melted butter.
• Pour batter into waxed paper-lined 10x15x1-inch jelly roll pan.
• Bake at 375° for 12 minutes.

Strawberry Mix
Ingredients
• 15 strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons champagne

Directions
• Mix together strawberries, sugar and champagne
• Let sit for 15 minutes at room temp

Champagne Buttercream
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/3 cup Champagne
• Crystal Sugar/Disco Dust
Directions
• Beat together butter until light and fluffy, add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until texture is fluffy.
• Add in champagne until combined.

Assembly of Trifles
• With a 2 inch round biscuit cutter, cut out circles from the white sheet cake.
• Layer cake circle in small 2 in plastic trifle cup or wine glass; add 2 Tablespoons of the strawberry mix, a layer of Champagne Buttercream and another layer of white cake.
• Top with buttercream and sprinkle with crystal sugar/disco dust