Thanksgiving Trifle: Courtesy of the Queen of the South and My Mom
Ditch the traditional pecan or pumpkin pie this year and make this surprising and beautiful dessert this year for your Thanksgiving gathering. We know, it’s a bold move to ditch the tradition so for those of you who are less daring, maybe just have it in addition to the traditional dessert far. But for those willing to take a risk, this trifle can stand on its own I promise.
Now this recipe is not straight from our kitchen, but is so good and unique we had to share. It is from the queen of all things Southern, Ms. Paula Dean. I was first introduced to this growing up in the my mom’s kitchen. This is her “tradition” every year and we are ever so glad it has become a part of our Thanksgiving dinners with her. It is truly a holiday flavor explosion. The right amount of gingerbread, sweetness, pumpkin, and creaminess. The gingerbread snaps crumbled on top give the perfect crunch and texture. The bonus to the recipe, is that it is super easy. Using a gingerbread box mix and even a box of vanilla jello. Cook it up and mix them both into the pumpkin pie filling, adding some brown sugar. (I like dark brown sugar for that added flavor of molasses)
YIELDS: 12-14 Servings
COOK TIME: About 1 Hour
TOTAL TIME: 1.5 Hours
Ingredients:
Two 14-ounce packages gingerbread mix
One 5.1-ounce box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
One 30-ounce can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
One 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional
Directions:
Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.