Summer Peaches And Cream Trifle Recipe

If you are looking for the perfect summer dessert, a trifle is a great option. While this type of dessert has been around since the 18th century, most modern versions are filled with fresh fruit that make them perfect for the warmer months. They are easy to put together, look pretty, and involve no baking, so you don't have to deal with a hot kitchen during the warm season. A trifle can also be made up to a day in advance, and it is large enough to feed a crowd — it's a great choice if you are looking for something to serve at an outdoor party or barbecue. 

This peaches and cream trifle from recipe developer Jessica Morone is especially summery because it uses fresh, juicy peaches, which are mainly in season from June to September. This recipe combines layers of tender pound cake, luscious pastry cream, airy whipped cream, and juicy peaches. Each component comes together to create a dessert that is both visually stunning and incredibly flavorful.

The first part of making this recipe is grabbing the ingredients. There are a few different components in this trifle. The first is a pastry cream made with sugar, cornstarch, flour, heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla extract, and egg yolks. Then, you will make a homemade whipped cream with more heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. There is also a peach layer for which you will need fresh peaches and lemon juice. Finally, you will need a pound cake — you can buy one at the grocery store for a quick, easy option or make a homemade pound cake.

Make the pastry cream: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and flour until combined.

Whisk the cream into the saucepan until smooth.

Add the milk and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.

Whisk in the egg yolks until fully combined.

Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk constantly until it begins to boil. Let it boil for about 15 seconds, until it becomes thick.

Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the custard to cover it, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until thoroughly chilled.

Make the whipped cream: Once the pastry cream is chilled, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until firm peaks form. Set aside.

Make the peach layer: In a medium bowl, combine the sliced peaches and lemon juice. Set aside.

To assemble the trifle, spread one third of the whipped cream evenly in the bottom of the trifle bowl.

Arrange a layer of pound cake cubes in a single layer on the whipped cream.

Spread half of the pastry cream over the pound cake cubes.

Press peach slices around the sides of the bowl, then spoon more peach slices over the pastry cream in an even layer.

Repeat the pattern with more whipped cream, cake cubes, pastry cream, and another layer of peaches. Top with the remaining whipped cream. Add some more decorative cake cubes and peach slices on top, if desired.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before scooping the trifle into bowls or plates and serving.

Peeling peaches can be difficult. They have a soft, thin skin that can be hard to get off without cutting out large chunks of the fruit. And, if they are ripe, they could end up getting bruised and mushy if you try to peel them with a knife or peeler. Regardless, if you want to peel these by hand you can, it will just be more difficult. To make peach peeling easier, Ina Garten recommends blanching the peaches first. To do this, you will score your peaches, drop them into boiling water for up to a minute, then put them in ice-cold water to cool the fruit. This makes it much easier to remove the peach skins. 

Additionally, Morone says, "The skins are removed because a lot of people have textural issues with eating peach skins or just don't like the skins. If you don't mind peach skins, you can skip the peeling part of this recipe completely and just slice the peaches up with their skins on."  

Pastry cream can be a bit challenging to make because it requires precise temperature control and constant attention to avoid curdling or the forming of lumps. The cream thickens quickly, so even a slight lapse can lead to a grainy or scrambled texture — it can even burn if you cook it too long. There are a few tips that you can use to make perfect pastry cream. The first tip is to use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to distribute heat evenly. The second tip is to whisk the cream constantly while it cooks to keep the temperature even and the cream nice and smooth. Also, since overcooking is the biggest mistake you can make with pastry cream, cook the cream just until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Straining the cream through a fine sieve can also help remove any small lumps. 

If you are too intimidated by trying to make homemade pastry cream, there is another alternative. "You can actually swap out the pastry cream in this recipe with instant vanilla pudding," says Morone. "That way, you don't have to cook anything at all but you still get a thick, creamy, vanilla element in this trifle!"