Mocha and Raspberry Trifle

• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons Cognac or other brandy
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 6 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 3/4 cups chilled whipping cream
• 2 purchased 8-inch-diameter, 1- to 1 1/4-inch-thick round sponge cakes, each cut horizontally in half
• 3/4 cup raspberry preserves (about 10 ounces)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (unthawed)
• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 2 tablespoons red currant jelly, melted with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• Red currant bunches or red grape clusters (optional)

1. Combine 3 tablespoons water and sugar in small saucepan.
2. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Mix in Cognac.
5. Cool.
6. Combine milk and espresso powder in heavy medium saucepan.
7. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean.
8. Bring to simmer.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Discard bean.
11. Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in large bowl until very thick, about 3 minutes.
12. Sift in cornstarch; beat to blend well.
13. Gradually beat hot milk mixture into egg mixture.
14. Return mixture to saucepan.
15. Whisk over medium heat until mixture comes to boil, about 3 minutes.
16. Remove from heat.
17. Add chocolate.
18. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
19. Transfer to medium bowl.
20. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream.
21. Refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.
22. (Can be made 2 days ahead.
23. Cover syrup and store at room temperature.
24. Keep pastry cream refrigerated.)
25. Whisk cold pastry cream until smooth.
26. Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream in large bowl until medium-stiff peaks form.
27. Transfer 1 1/2 cups whipped cream to another medium bowl; set aside to use as topping.
28. Stir 1/3 of remaining whipped cream from large bowl into pastry cream to lighten.
29. Fold remaining whipped cream from large bowl into pastry cream in 2 additions.
30. Place 1 cake layer in bottom of 8-inch-diameter, 3-quart trifle bowl.
31. Brush 1/4 of syrup over cake.
32. Spread 3 tablespoons raspberry preserves over cake.
33. Spread 1 cup pastry cream over.
34. Arrange 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries atop pastry cream.
35. Repeat layering 3 times with remaining cake layers, syrup, preserves, pastry cream and 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries.
36. Spread reserved 1 1/2 cups whipped cream over trifle.
37. Top whipped cream with 2 cups fresh raspberries.
38. Lightly brush red currant jelly mixture over raspberries.
39. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar.
40. Garnish with red currant bunches or grape clusters, if desired.
41. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
42. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead.
43. Keep refrigerated.)

water, sugar, cognac, milk, espresso powder, vanilla bean, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, bittersweet, chilled whipping cream, diameter, raspberry preserves, frozen raspberries, fresh raspberries, red currant, sugar, red currant

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/mocha-and-raspberry-trifle-5745 (may not work)