Well, the holiday spirit finally beat me down.
As I sit here, ready to share my ever-fascinating facts about nothing, I am in pain. Yes, pain.
I bit the big one at the lovely little ice skating rink downtown. It was simply magical until then. How adorable all those little kids skating circles around me were, bobbing and weaving through and around my friend and myself, the parents looking lovingly at them as they almost take out everyone in their path. I would love to blame it on one of them but, alas, it was all my fault. The poor ice never saw it coming. Ooohss and aaahs were heard for miles as I lay on the cold, hard ice, with my friend in hysterics. “Hey, I can bake like nobody’s business,” is all I could muster. YouTube video is coming soon to a computer near you.
If only I would have had a Waffle Brothers waffle to ease the pain and humiliation, all would have been OK. Waffle Brothers are a Colorado company with the best Belgian waffles evahhh! They import their waffle makers and a special sugar nib from Belgium. The sugar nib melts when they cook you one, and caramelizes — it seriously blows your mind. I swear, a waffle can really blow your mind!
I am making Raspberry Chocolate Ganache Waffle Trifle and it, along with being an iceskating disaster remedy, is delicious. Trifle is a very popular holiday dessert, as it is tasty, festive and makes a lovely presentation at your table. It is more traditionally done with sponge or pound cake, but we are putting a little twist on it with the waffles. You can do it as a special breakfast or as a dessert. I will be making it for Christmas Eve breakfast this year, and I know it will become a tradition thereafter.
It might not even be fair to the other treats that day, since once you shoot so high at breakfast you must try and keep up the goodness all day. This is why I always aim low, but not this year. No, my bruised elbow, hip and ego are aiming high in hopes of forgetting my unfortunate turn of events at the rink.
I am going to recommend to the ice skating staff that they have hot chocolate with a little something-something at the ready for next year. Perhaps if I bribe them with a few Waffle Brothers waffles they will oblige. For now, I have trifle on my mind, love in my heart and Tylenol everywhere else. So please take my advice and make this dessert. And if my words have inspired you to go take a few laps around the rink, well, don’t come crying to me when you take a spill.
But just in case, may I suggest you bring a little flask of Kool-Aid
and pour it right where you fall. Snow cones for everyone, except the
little hooligans bobbing and weaving. Now, follow the directions, put
some love into it, and invite me over when it’s done.
Trifle is a very popular holiday dessert, as it is tasty, festive and makes a lovely presentation at your table.
Before you start: You can look into Waffle Brothers at wafflebrothers.com (they sell them by the bagful). Use any kind of jam you like; I prefer raspberry, but it all works.
RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE GANACHE WAFFLE BROTHERS TRIFLE
1 cup heavy whipping cream 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chopped chocolate (you can use chocolate chips) 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup powdered sugar (more for dusting) 1 tsp. vanilla 4 Waffle Brothers waffles (slightly toasted)
1/2 cup raspberry jam (or preserves) 1 cup raspberries At least four hours before serving (overnight is what I prefer) prepare chocolate ganache. In medium bowl over simmering pan of water, slowly bring whipping cream to boil. Pour over chopped chocolate that’s been placed in medium bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes. Slowly stir until smooth. Place Saran Wrap over top and place in refrigerator until ready to assemble trifle. Before assembling trifle, beat whipping cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Gently toast waffles, slather with raspberry preserves. Cut up two waffles and place into trifle bowl or big clear bowl. Top the waffles with half of chocolate ganache. Dollop half of whipping cream over chocolate. Cut up the two other waffles that have been toasted and slathered with jam and place on top of whipping cream. Top with other half of chocolate (reserving a teaspoon or so for garnish) and place remaining whipped cream on top. Top with fresh raspberries, and drizzle with reserved chocolate. Dust with powdered sugar. Dig in and serve up. Enjoy! Happy Holidays!
You can watch the Dessert Diva every Monday at 8:35 a.m. on Channel 2. To contact Danette at the station, visit 2thedeuce.com, and click on Daybreak on the Deuce. To chat and/or send comments and suggestions, write to [email protected].
