Muddy Pig Trifles

If you are looking for an over the top dessert for that special occasion or special someone and are willing to go a little crazy, try  my Muddy Pig Trifle.  I made it in honor of my sister who is now in heaven and was willing to be a little crazy in the greatest way possible to spice up life.  I do not drink any alcohol, so this was my toast to her (for those that do you could spice it up with a little somethin', somethin' in the puddings, maybe a coffee liquor).  I sat and ate almost the whole thing while I looked at pictures of her and remembered her laughter, strength, craziness, and love.  I'll see you in heaven Tony.

Chocolate Pudding

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

3 cups cold whole milk (for dairy free use almond milk)

3/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (for dairy free use the dairy free chips)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Melt your chocolate chips in a double boiler.  Take off heat and let cool a little. Combine cornstarch, sugar, salt and milk in and mix until well blended. Transfer mixture to your double boiler with the melted chocolate and place back over (not on) simmering water for approximately 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pudding is ready when mixture coats the back of the spoon.  Add vanilla and stir well.  Let cool.

Vanilla Pudding

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

3 cups cold whole milk (for dairy free use almond milk)

1/2 cup cream (for dairy free use almond milk)

2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Combine cornstarch, sugar, salt, cream and milk in a bowl and whisk vigorously. Transfer mixture to a double boiler and place over (not on) simmering water for approximately 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pudding is ready when mixture coats the back of the spoon. Add vanilla and stir well.

My Simple Brownies

¾ cup Dark Hershey’s Syrup (For dairy free use dairy free melted chocolate chips)

1  cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup  flour (You may use soy flour for gluten free brownie)

¾ cup nuts of your choice

Heat oven to 325 F.

Stir sugar into chocolate syrup until blended. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour.  Add nuts.  Spread into a 9" x 9" baking pan or you can make bite size and put batter in a small muffin’s tin.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes up clean. Cool in pan.  If you are using a small muffin pan, check after 20 minutes.

Bacon Crumble

16 oz bacon

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoon water

1 egg white

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Cook bacon and set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, coarsely crumble bacon with hand; set aside and heat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place sugar and water in a pot and heat until sugar is dissolved. Toss crumbled bacon in sugar syrup to coat. Pass coated bacon through a strainer to drain excess sugar syrup.

Add egg white to a bowl and beat until fluffy and foamy. Add in black pepper and cayenne. Whisk to combine. Add in crumbled bacon and toss to coat.

Spread coated, crumbled bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees.   Remove from oven and let cool, then crumble bacon one last time.

Assembly

Fill baggies with each flavor of pudding.  Cut a small hole in the corner of the baggie.

Pipe a chocolate layer onto bottom of glass.  Sprinkle crushed brownie on top of the chocolate layer.  Pipe the vanilla pudding on the top of brownie crumble; repeat a layer of brownies and so on depending on the size of you individual glass. To decorate add bacon crumble (the pig) on the top. This is what hog heaven tastes like.

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.