To me, Valentines Day means cute cards, candy hearts, sweet stuff,  and expressing love and gratitude for the people and things most important in my life. At the LuLu’s restaurants around Valentine’s Day every year we celebrate Vow Renewal where literally hundreds of couples celebrate their commitments to each other.  Yesterday in Gulf Shores we had nearly 300 couples renewing their vows. It’s happening today in Destin and for the first time ever in North Myrtle   Beach on February 14th. It’s literally the sweetest time of the year!

As my Valentine to you this year I’d like to share the recipe for my Fresh Strawberry and Chocolate Angel Food Trifle. Let me know if you try it or if you have a special Valentine’s sweet that you like to make.
Wishing you all  lots of Chocolate, Sweetness, and Gumbo Love for Valentine’s Day!
Love, LuLu

Fresh Strawberry And Chocolate Angel Food Trifle

Serves 8-10

Pudding:

3 ½ cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean,  or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs at room temp

1 egg yolk

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

 

Trifle:

4 cups leftover Chocolate Angel Food Cake, torn into bite sized pieces

3 cups fresh whipped cream

3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, halved, plus a few whole strawberries for garnish

 

To make the pudding:

  1. Pour 3 cups of the milk into a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the milk. (If you are not using a vanilla bean, wait to add to the vanilla extract until later as directed.) Add the scraped bean pod and 1/2 cup of the sugar to the milk. Heat the milk mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the sugar has dissolved. Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
  2. While the milk is heating, whisk together the eggs, the egg yolk, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the remaining 1/2 cup milk, the cornstarch, and the salt.
  3. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the warm milk through a strainer into the egg mixture, stirring continuously, to slowly temper the eggs and bring them to the same temperature as the warm milk, keeping them from curdling. Gradually pour the remaining milk through the strainer into the egg mixture.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a clean large saucepan and cook the pudding  over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it thickens. Remove from the heat. Add the butter and the vanilla extract.  (If you did not use a vanilla bean). Whisk until the mixture is smooth, then pour into a bowl or individual cups. Let cool for 10 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap, pressed directly against the surface of the pudding  to prevent a skin from forming and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

To assemble the trifle:

  1. In a clear bowl or trifle dish, start with a bottom layer of pudding, then add cake pieces so they can soak in the pudding. Follow with a layer of whipped cream, then a layer of berries. Repeat the process, ending with the whipped cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours. Garnish with whole strawberries before serving.