Pumpkin Toffee Crunch Trifle

This Pumpkin Toffee Crunch version draws inspiration from the classic English trifle and adds a North American twist by infusing many familiar pumpkin spices and flavours. Less than thirty minutes from start to finish, this no-bake trifle uses store-bought prepared ingredients to make the most delicious and swoon-worthy dessert!

October is here, so I’m assuming that now is a safe time to introduce pumpkin-flavoured treats. I’m certainly one of those people who don’t mind a pumpkin-spiced treat in September, but there are some who think pumpkin flavours should wait until fall officially arrives. But, I can’t wait any longer! And why should I? Just look at this Pumpkin Toffee Crunch Trifle!

Everything pumpkin flavoured is here folks! Don’t wait before getting your fix though, because just as fast as a pumpkin-flavoured drink pops up on the menu at Starbucks, it disappears just as quickly. I have to get my fill. I suggest you do the same, Dear Reader!

One of the things that I love most about this recipe – other than the fact that this trifle is delicious! – is that this recipe uses both real pumpkin puree and a pumpkin spice blend. So, you know you’re getting the real deal here! Many times, pumpkin-flavoured recipes only have the spices, so the addition of the puree really adds so much more pumpkin flavour.

I’m going to tell you all about this recipe and how you can make it in your home this holiday season. But first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. Over the past seven Christmases, I have built a reputation for sharing series-type recipes. The most popular would be my annual 24 Cookies of Christmas, which was fashioned after an advent calendar. But, I have others that are only 12 days, which were fashioned after the 12 Days of Christmas.

Before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for today’s recipe, let me tell you about this series and more! Welcome, Dear Reader, to my first Christmas series this holiday season! I’m calling this series Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Trifles.

Just like every other series that I’ve shared over the years, this one will also see a new recipe shared each day for the next 12 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday recipes year after year?

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Trifles Series! Even though this is the first series for this holiday season, you can always look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

LAYERED DESSERTS ARE THE EASIEST AND THE BEST!

Layered desserts have been popular for many, many years. For those of us who were not blessed with the ability to decorate elaborate cakes or whip up a choux pastry or even master the art of a good meringue, there are layered desserts. Think about it! The popularity of desserts like no-bake cheesecakes, trifles, tiramisus, etc., is proof.

I like to think that a layered dessert can certainly be just as elegant if prepared the right way. Make it simple. Overcomplicated desserts are no fun to prepare or eat. Choose two or three flavour combinations, because too many will just become muddled and the flavours will compete with each other. That’s what I think of trifles. I do love them, but I don’t care for them if they too many ingredients and too many layers. I’ll do my best to keep the trifles in this series uncomplicated.

If you are looking for more layered desserts, look no further! I’ve got you covered right here. Try these Stacked Vanilla Strawberry Shortcakes, for example. Or a breakfast version using waffles! Speaking of strawberry shortcakes, you have got to try these puff pastry flakies – they are probably my favourite dessert of all time.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Pumpkin Loaf – You can make these from scratch, or you can buy them in the bakery section of most larger grocery stores. I have a Starbucks Copycat version here if you prefer to make your own loaf.
• Toffee Bits
• Whipping Cream – Please see the next section on whipping cream.
• Sugar – This is only used to sweeten the whipped cream. You can omit the sugar if you prefer a less sweet dessert.
• Vanilla Extract
• Pumpkin Puree – Most of us buy this in a can, but you can make it yourself.  It is peeled and cooked pumpkin that has been pureed without the addition of any other ingredients.
• Pumpkin Spice Blend – You can buy this or, if you have a spice rack at home, you can make it very easily. Here’s a very easy recipe that I use every year.

HOW TO MAKE A PUMPKIN TOFFEE CRUNCH TRIFLE

Transfer the whipping cream to a chilled mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks are formed. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Beat to incorporate. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Remove 1/3 of the whipped cream and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Use a spatula to fold in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice blend.

Next, place 1/3rd of the pumpkin loaf cubes into a trifle bowl followed by 1/3rd of the toffee bits and half of the plain whipped cream. Start the next layer with 1/3rd of the pumpkin loaf cubes, 1/3rd of the toffee bits, and all of the pumpkin-flavoured whipped cream.

Next, build the next layer with the remaining pumpkin loaf cubes, toffee bits, and plain whipped cream. (For garnish, reserve two cubes of the loaf and two teaspoons of the coffee bits. Sprinkle those over the top layer of whipped cream.) The trifle is ready to serve now, however, you can cover it and refrigerate it for up to 12 hours before serving.

HERE’S WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE A PUMPKIN SPICE BLEND

• Cinnamon – Cinnamon is a spice created from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree.   The bark is dried until it curls into a roll known as a cinnamon stick.  These are ground into powder.  Commonly found in baked goods, cinnamon is aromatic with a warming flavour.
• Ginger – Ground ginger is fresh ginger that has been peeled and dried before being ground into a powder.  It has a pale yellow in colour and a pungent, spicy smell.  It adds a warming, spicy flavour to recipes.
• Nutmeg – Nutmeg is a seed that comes in whole or ground form.  It is a key ingredient in many baked goods and is essential to anything eggnog related.  I often use it in fall dishes, especially in mashed potatoes!
• Allspice – Contrary to what its name suggests, allspice isn’t a blend of other spices.  Allspice comes from a dried brown berry from a tree.  It is a warm-tasting spice and is very aromatic.
• Cloves – Ground cloves come from whole cloves which have been finely ground.  They are a flower bud that comes from the clove tree.  Whole dried cloves look like small nails.  The name clove comes from the Latin word for nail.  They are extremely fragrant and commonly found in spiced cakes and confections.

HEAVY CREAM VS WHIPPING CREAM

Confession time – I use them both interchangeably, depending on what is available at the store, or whatever is on sale! Both of these can be quite costly. If memory serves me correctly, a 250mL carton, or one cup, here in Canada, will run just short of $5! There is a difference in the two, but not enough to concern yourself with when it comes to this Pumpkin Toffee Crunch Trifle.

Just in case you’re interested, the most basic difference is the amount of fat contained in both. Whipping cream has 35% fat. It can be whipped into peaks and it’s also rich enough that it won’t curdle when heated in soups and sauces. It’s nearly identical to heavy cream so if a recipe calls for heavy cream and you can only find whipping cream, feel free to use that instead. In contrast, heavy cream, which is sometimes called heavy whipping cream, contains about 38% fat. Either of those would work well in this recipe. I used 35% whipping cream.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN PREPARING TRIFLES

First of all, there are no steadfast rules about how many layers you should or shouldn’t have. My rule of thumb is this – make the trifle big enough to feed your family and/or guests, and use a bowl that is big enough to accommodate the layers. If you have a larger trifle bowl, you can simply add another layer or add more berries or cake to fill it up. Likewise, if your bowl is too small, you can make mini trifles with the leftover ingredients in stemmed dessert bowls.

Trifles cannot be prepared days in advance, nor can they be frozen. Since most trifle recipes are assembly-type recipes, the best thing to do is to prepare them on the day you plan to eat them. However, with that said, every trifle in this series can be prepared a day in advance. If you prepare the trifle a day in advance, it’s a good idea to set the garnish aside and place it onto the trifle just before serving. That way, your trifle will look like it was just freshly prepared.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down to follow me and never miss another recipe!