Make two trifles to serve 30 guests, or make one and round out the dessert table with fruitcake and goodies from the bakery.

Makes 15 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • cranberry filling
  • 212-ounce bags cranberries
  • 1 3/4cups sugar
  • 1cup orange juice
  • 1tablespoon grated orange peel
  • 1teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2cup chopped crystallized ginger
  • chocolate pudding
  • 1 3/4cups whole milk
  • 6large egg yolks
  • 3/4cup sugar
  • 1/4cup cornstarch
  • 4ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/4cup grand marnier or other orange liqueur
  • 1/2cup chopped crystallized ginger
  • 1 3/4cups chilled whipping cream
  • assembly
  • 116-ounce frozen pound cake, thawed, cut crosswise into 16 slices, each slice quartered
  • 9tablespoons grand marnier or other orange liqueur

    DIRECTIONS

    For filling: Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Mix in crystallized ginger. Cover and refrigerate until cold.For pudding: Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in medium bowl until very thick, about 3 minutes. Add cornstarch; beat to blend. Gradually beat in hot milk. Return mixture to saucepan; whisk over medium heat until pudding thickens and comes to boil, about 3 minutes (pudding will be very thick). Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and mixture is smooth. Mix in Grand Marnier. Transfer to medium bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding. Chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Filling and pudding can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.) Mix crystallized ginger into pudding. Beat cream in large bowl until firm peaks form. Set aside 1 1/2 cups whipped cream. Fold remaining whipped cream into pudding in 2 additions. For assembly: Cover bottom of 8-inch-diameter, 3-quart trifle bowl with single layer of cake pieces, turning crusts away from sides of bowl. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier. Spread 1 cup cranberry filling over cake to sides of bowl. Spread 1 1/4 cups pudding over cranberry filling to sides of bowl. Repeat layering 2 more times (reserve remaining chocolate pudding for another use). Spread 1 1/2 cups whipped cream over trifle, building up whipped cream edges slightly. Spoon remaining filling atop whipped cream (but not atop whipped cream edges). Cover; chill at least 4 hours. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Chill.)