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Putting it All Together
Date: Jun. 29th 2007
Category: Dessert and Pastry
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When I made the beautiful lavender loaves using the lavender buds that Jasmine so graciously sent to me, I found myself in the strange position of not having anyone to share them with. It was a Saturday, no one was home, the neighbours had already been the beneficiaries of other baked goods from me earlier in the week and I didn’t think the loaves would stay fresh enough to be brought to work on the Monday.
Not wanting to waste the loaves, I let them sit on the counter for a day and then I did something I’ve never done before: I made trifle!
I sliced the loaves into thick slices and drizzled them with Grand Marnier. I let them sit for a few hours and then cubed them. I found our best glass bowl and began layering the cubed lavender cake with the leftover Rapid Chiboust from the Gâteau St. Honoré, which was the Daring Baker challenge for May. I topped the cream with strawberries that I had macerated in sugar, Grand Marnier, freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest. I also drizzled more Grand Marnier over each layer of strawberries and sprinkled on a few lavender buds for good measure. To complete the trifle, I whipped up some heavy cream that I had in the refrigerator and piped it over the final layer of lavender cake. I sprinkled on more lavender buds, decorated the border of the trifle with raspberries and used some leftover spun sugar as a garnish.
I completely improvised my first trifle and it was fantastic! It was proof to me that you can take a few really good foods and put them together to make something profoundly delicious.
I hope you take the sun, the warm weather, the promise of a few days of relaxation ahead and put them all together to have a wonderful weekend!
Ciao!
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06/29/07 at 6:45 pm
Does this qualify as leftovers? If so, it is magnificent use of leftovers! The combination of lavendar and orange sounds yummy.
06/29/07 at 8:47 pm
Heavenly Days! Ivonne, it hardly seems possible but this is incredible and yes it does seem like you used leftover! Give me more leftovers please.
Have a great weekend … we’re having rain and more rain but never without fun.
06/29/07 at 9:00 pm
very nice use of leftovers! have a nice weekend!
06/30/07 at 3:39 am
Mmm Trifle!!! I would never have used bread, interesting idea. It all seems rather alcoholic though, sounds good!
06/30/07 at 4:42 am
What a great idea! It looks so beautiful and delicious.
06/30/07 at 4:44 am
So did you have someone to share the trifle with then?
06/30/07 at 7:43 am
Wow! More improvisation, please.
Paz
06/30/07 at 8:26 am
That was a great idea… it looks delicious!
Ciao.
06/30/07 at 12:22 pm
Wonderful. Your loaves were nice…I tend to make trifles only when my cake turned out ugly
07/1/07 at 5:35 am
Left over SPUN SUGAR!! How in the world did you keep left over spun sugar?!
07/1/07 at 6:50 am
Fantastic, sweetie! What a great idea to use up the loaves and the Rapid Chiboust! The loaves looked good on their own, but made into this trifle with the berries, cream and Grand Marnier.. *swoon*
Way to go. =)
xoxoxo
07/1/07 at 2:16 pm
Well, you combined 2 of my absolute favorites: trifle and lavender. A stroke of genius! Don’t you love lavender season?
07/2/07 at 5:18 am
I LOVE trifle! I especially love it at New Year. My grandmother always used to make a huge one every New Years Eve for lunch the following day. One time my friend and I returned home in the early hours having seen the New Year in with a few drinks. We tucked into the trifle meant for the big family lunch. I was not in any good books. The trifle was delicious though and almost worth the telling off I got!
07/2/07 at 6:31 am
I only wish I had such beautiful leftover in my kitchen to make a trifle. This is gorgeous. My trifle would consist of old lettuce, one week old blue cheese and some Guiness.
07/2/07 at 9:39 am
How timely–I’m going to a backyard bbq this weekend and a friend just told me his girlfriend is bring trifle. I’ve never had it before so I can’t wait!
07/2/07 at 12:55 pm
Wow, Ivonne!! What a wonderful way to use those delicious loaves!
07/2/07 at 1:07 pm
Trifle - strictly speaking man food, well a traditional English trifle is a very masculine affair, but as usual anything you make temps me.
I love, love love recipes that use up left overs and what a brilliant excuse to indulge in trifle loveliness so you can use up an old bit of cake!
Some would just give it to the birds
07/2/07 at 6:53 pm
I can’t believe this is your first trifle!!! Amazing how everything you attempt comes out looking gorgeous and I’m sure tasting delicious as well!
07/3/07 at 3:52 am
Wow, your first trifle! It’s looks very gourmet, great job! Since my dad is British, I’ve been eating/making trifle since I was a kid, and I love it, but I find there is a general lack of appreciation out there for this noble dessert!
07/3/07 at 8:12 am
This is an amazing way to use leftover cake!
If I lived near you, I am another way of “disposing” of leftovers, heehee 
07/3/07 at 1:50 pm
How wonderful it would be to be your neighbor~we love to eat this dessert at my house. Everyone helps cutting up the fruit and whipping the cream. Yours is beautiful!
07/3/07 at 2:09 pm
That sounds absolutely delicious. (I love lavender!) I think I will try that on my next day off.
Kind regards from Germany, Monika
07/4/07 at 1:30 pm
Looks fantastic your pictures really captured this dessert beautifully. I some times feel bad about making desserts b/c I love sharing them with friends, otherwise I feel tempted to eat it all my self. This concoction is definitely a crowd pleaser and teaser. Congrats on your first trifle.
07/4/07 at 3:07 pm
Geez that is criminal that there wasn’t anyone around that day to share desserts with. I’d love to move over states to be next door! The trifle looks more than a tad or a trifle sumptuous. I love the word “chiboust” too!
07/4/07 at 6:47 pm
Trifle is a wonderfully flexible recipe in that you can improvise almost anything and it will be delicious. And any improvisation lavender, Grand Marnier, strawberries, whipped cream, and raspberries is both creative and divine.
Cheers!
07/5/07 at 2:14 pm
How on earth could leftovers be turned into something that amazingly beautiful?! Wow, Ivonne…you really have a flair for food and photography! Stunning!
07/6/07 at 5:38 pm
I love trifle. This one looks fantastic. I would never have thought to use lavender in one. A great idea.
07/9/07 at 1:43 pm
That’s really creative, and sounds so good too, mmm.