Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup rum (of your choice, you can also use more pineapple juice)
• One 19 oz. tin of crushed pineapple, with the juice
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 4 oz. softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup large flaked coconut

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the eggs, rum and crushed pineapple with juice.
2. Stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, heat the mixture over medium heat until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in a few of the pieces of butter at a time, stirring until they have melted before adding more butter. Repeat until all of the butter has been melted into the curd.
3. Scrape pineapple mixture into a bowl and place plastic wrap directly over top of the curd. This will keep a skin from forming on the curd. Place in refrigerator and cool completely.
4. To toast the coconut, place the coconut in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir and keep an eye on it until the coconut begins to brown. Remove to a plate before it darkens too much. Allow to cool.
5. In a deep bowl,beat the whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar and coconut extract with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
6. In another small bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft and smooth. Stir in about 1 cup of the whipped cream mixture.
7. Line up 6 serving glasses, approximately 5-6 ounces each. Carefully spoon in the pineapple curd, trying to keep the sides of the glasses clean.
8. The cream cheese mixture is the next layer. To get this layer into the glasses easily, place the mixture into a plastic bag and snip the corner off it. You can then pipe it in without getting the glass all dirty.
9. Divide the remaining curd between the 6 glasses.
10. Carefully spoon (or use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip) the coconut whipped cream on top of the parfaits. Sprinkle each dessert with the toasted coconut.
11. Pineapple curd can be made up to 1 day in advance. The parfaits can be assembled up to 6 hours in advance (more if you don’t put the whipped cream on until serving).

Ingredients:
1 9″x13″ white cake, cut into 1″ cubes
2 cups of vanilla pudding (can use homemade pastry cream, it would be WONDERFUL)
3-4 cups of sweetened whipped cream
Enough fresh, washed fruit to create 2 layers of fruit, plus decorate the top

Directions:
1. In a 3-qt. trifle bowl or deep salad bowl, layer a third of the cake cubes, half of the pudding, 1/3 of the whipped cream, and 1/3 of the fruit. Repeat cake, pudding and whipped cream layers. Top with the last cake layer and the remaining whipped cream. Top with your remaining fruit, trying to make a pattern or design with the fruit.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

NOTE: This same trifle can be made using chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, and broken up chocolate bars for a delightful, chocolate trifle.

Here is the gluten free cake that I used for this trifle. It worked really well for the trifle, if it were on it’s own, it would have been a little bit too spongy for my liking.

Gluten-Free Yellow Cake

Source: AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups white rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk
2 tsp gf vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round pans (I did a 9×13 pan).
2. Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.
3. Mix the eggs, sugar, and mayonnaise until fluffy. Add the flour mixture, milk and vanilla and mix well. Spread batter into the prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cakes are done when they spring back when lightly touched or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool completely then frost, if desired.