Christmas in a Bowl
If there’s one thing I’m known for at work, it’s not for my inability to carry on an intelligent conversation before 9 am, or for my uncanny knack to memorize all the key strokes in Illustrator and InDesign, or for working chaotically on 5 projects simultaneously. No. I’m best known for Christmas in a Bowl. She makes her annual appearance at my work Christmas party. Her birth name is Triple Chocolate Peppermint Trifle. But after one bite, a coworker renamed her Christmas in a Bowl. Rightly so. With layers of white chocolate peppermint mousse topped with fudgy brownies and dark chocolate pudding she tastes like Christmas. She’s rich and dense, however, not the prettiest thing you ever did see. But don’t judge her book by the cover. You wont be able to put her down. And when you’re done, you’ll wish there was more.
Before you scroll down any further, listen to me. You can make this! Sure you have to make mousse, pudding, and brownies from scratch, but the taste is out of this world. I’ll walk you through step-by-step and divulge all my secrets from how to temper eggs the easy way to where to buy all that heavy cream on the cheap. Stay with me. She’s so worth it.
PS—Can you find me in the picture?
Trifle must rest 12 hours before serving
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the mousse. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Place white chocolate in a bowl. Bring 1 cup cream almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate and stir until smooth. Set in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes. Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream to nearly stiff peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture until smooth, then fold in candies. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thickened and almost firm, 4 to 6 hours.
- Make the pudding. Put chocolate into a large bowl; set aside. Bring cream almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Whisk yolks in a bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of hot cream in to the eggs in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Pour mixture back into pan, whisk well. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Set bowl in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
- Make the brownies. Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8-inch square baking pan or heatproof glass dishpan
- with overlapping parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Set aside. Place butter and chocolate in a double boiler or large heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water; stir frequently until chocolate and butter are melted, about 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat; let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Gently fold in flour and salt. Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake until cake tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. They will be fudgy. Using parchment, lift brownies out of pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble. Spread one-third of the mousse into bottom of a glass trifle bowl that is 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Crumble brownies, and top with 1/2 of the brownies. Top with half the pudding, then another third of mousse. Place remaining brownie crumbles on top. Top with remaining pudding, then mousse. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 12 hours. Garnish with peppermint candies just before serving.
Notes
• First of all, if you get stuck, send me a tweet or an email. I’ll be on call.
• This isn’t the cheapest dessert, but over the years I’ve learned how to cut costs without cutting quality. For the cream, head to Costco and buy in bulk. Mucho savings. For the chocolate, be sure to buy good quality. Chips are cheaper than bars unless you have a Trader Joe’s nearby. They sell dark chocolate by the pound. Holla! Make sure your white chocolate is the real deal, no partially hydrogenated stuff. I prefer Ghiradelli or Trader Joe’s.
• To allay any baking anxiety, this dessert is most manageable when made in two days. Day 1: Make mousse and pudding. Day 2: Make brownies and assemble. Day 3: Eat.
• When making the pudding and mousse, you will need to heat heavy cream. So save that saucepan instead of dirtying up more dishes.
• To temper eggs for the pudding (or anytime), pour a small amount of the heated cream into the whisked eggs instead of the entire amount. Whisk constantly until combined. It’s much easier to keep the eggs from curdling this way. And, if they do curdle, you haven’t ruined all that expensive heavy cream. I learned that one from experience.
• If you are using chocolate chips, no need to coarsely chop.
• Skip the Starlight Peppermints and go for the regular or mini candy canes. They are much easier to crush. I place them in a freezer bag, fold over, and use a meat tenderizer to crush.
• Save the egg whites from the pudding for tomorrows breakfast. I told you I’d divulge ALL my secrets.
Oh my word! What a lovely treat!
Sooooooooo pretty!! Love it! : )
Just talking to a co-worker about this memorable little treat today!
Hey Linda! You were the original Christmas in a Bowl eater! I’ve tweaked the recipe once again for ease sake. Miss you and hope you are well!
Woah there, girl. Want.
Wow, does this look decadent! It figures that you have a great reputation at your office
Something else you’re well known for? Making me extremely hungry! This looks amazing!!
Hmm. That looks incredible. I love chocolate and mint. And Christmas.
Let’s make this CHRISTMAS AND BEV IN A BOWL, so I can eat my way out. Cool, cool.
I’m seriously laughing out loud! I can picture honey-I-shrunk-Bev in the trifle bowl. You always put a smile on my face!
Is that a reflection of you in the ornament? Can’t tell. I just know that I want some Christmas in my tummy.
I am in the ornament! Smashed up against the window. The neighbors must think I’m crazy.
Gorgeous and decadent holiday dessert!
Thanks for this. I needed a office potluck recipe. Perfect timing!!
It’s the best for office potlucks! I guess you could say it was born out of one.
Wow, this looks amazing! I’ve never made (or even eaten) a trifle before and I think this needs to be the first one I try. Those are definitely all my favorite things in one bowl!
You’ve convinced me! This looks incredible!!! And your descriptions of this *Christmas in a bowl* makes me want to make it asap! Great recipe
Wonderful tips for this. Absolutely beautiful. I love trifles like this!
i don’t know what you’re talking about- she is gorgeous! and trifles are so freaking good. i wish i had a big trifle bowl so i could make this!! yummmmm
Trifle smifel
Heck, you can make it in a bowl. Do it!!
I don’t know if I could make this- I’m afraid it would never leave my arms
That very thing happened to me the first time I made it. And then I held in my hips. It was worth it.
Trifles have never really struck my fancy until…I saw your Christmas in a Bowl. Dang that sounds amazing–like put my whole face in the bowl amazing. I love a Christmas cookie as much as the next lass, but this trifle is a tempting breath of minty fresh air. Thank you! I’m heading to my in-laws for Christmas with your C in a B in tow. Ho ho ho!
I’m honored this could change your mind! Hope you love it! And if it tips over in the car, it will still taste good….not that that happened or anything.
This literally includes everything that I adore! Wish I could take a spoon to that trifle bowl.
Oh. Em. Gee. Yes!
Great recipe! I want to make it for Christmas !
I can do this!! Now – it may not be as pretty as yours – but oh my!! this looks delish!!
You’ll knock mine out of the park! And I hope you have pictures and tips to prove it.
I’m in love.
I think I’m in love!
Thank you for saving some of this amazing dessert for me to sample after your office party. Wow! This was a dream come true for a chocoholic like me – the clouds of peppermint mousse provided just the right amount of lightness to cut the decadent fudginess of the brownies and the rich chocolate pudding. Divine!
She’s soooo pretty!!! I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to put this book down!
it look so pretty, it’s one of the perfect chrismas dessert. Joy form Paris
I now have an additional dessert I just must make. This could also be aptly named Heaven in a Bowl.
P.S. I think I see you!.
[...] cleaning—that’s what we should be doing. Instead we’re in the kitchen inhaling Christmas in a Bowl, forget chewing. Tomorrow morning early, we should be on the road. If it’s anytime before [...]
Oh, wow!! Not in the cards for this year, but next Christmas, I think I’ll plan our entire dinner around it! Thanks!
I made this last night, perfect dessert for a sunny NZ Christmas, thanks
I think I’ll apply for a job in your office!
This looks so pretty and delicious! Any way that I could use milk chocolate in replace of the dark chocolate? My family isn’t a big fan of dark chocolate anything but I would really like to make this for Christmas.
For sure! Hope you guys love it as much as we do.
Wonderful looking pudding. It’s good to eat something that tastes even better than it looks:)
Well if this doesn’t make us all miss you! The party is on Wednesday….you know what to bring!
Aww, I wish I could be there! You know me, I’d be making this at the very last minute. Thanks for saying hi Lori! Huge hugs your way!
I made this this weekend – over the 2 days like you suggested to make it easier! Your instructions were great – it turned out beautifully! The only change I made was that I only did 1 layer of pudding as my pudding was super dense and hard to ‘spread’ over the brownies. No big deal though – it looked amazing and tasted even better! I just got back from a pot luck and it was a big hit. It’s definitely going to be a christmas favourite! Thanks & Merry Christmas
So glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know! My pudding always tends to be pretty dense too. I’ve thought about changing it, but once it’s all together, I just love it. I’ll add a note in the recipe that dense is normal. Merry Christmas to you too Jennifer!
I am anticipating success. I have made the mousse, pudding, and brownie for the Christmas white chocolate candy cane trifle. All I have left is to assemble it. So far, everything tastes perfect. I am so excited to serve it tomorrow evening. Thank you for the recipes and instructions. Merry Christmas! I look forward to using more of your recipes in the New Year.
Made this for Christmas was a huge success! It was time cosuming making all the components but it was so worth it once its all put together. And I have to say best brownies EVAH!!!!
So so glad you liked it! The brownies are our fave too. Happy New Year!