Dulce de Leche Trifles with Almond Praline
These indulgent individual desserts are layered with whipped cream, crushed cookies and dulce de leche, a caramel spread that’s a favorite in many Latin American countries. Chunks of homemade almond praline add a sweet, crunchy finish. To get a head start, you can make the praline up to 3 days in advance; store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Ingredients
For the almond praline:
- 1 cup (8 oz./250 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) sliced almonds
3 cups (24 fl. oz./750 ml) heavy cream- 2 Tbs. sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 20 oz. (625 g) store-bought shortbread cookies
- 1 jar (about 13 oz./410 g) store bought dulce de leche
Directions
To make the almond praline, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar and water and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is dark golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the almonds and immediately transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet, spreading it in a thin layer. Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then, using the bottom of a measuring cup or a rolling pin, lightly crush the praline into bite-size pieces.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the cream, sugar and vanilla and almond extracts on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. Cover and refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to use, up to 2 hours.
Place the cookies in a large plastic bag. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or a rolling pin, coarsely crush them into small bite-size pieces.
Remove the lid from the dulce de leche and microwave until pourable but still thick, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
To assemble the trifles, place a generous dollop of whipped cream in the bottom of each of 12 glasses, then top with some dulce de leche and a scoop of crushed cookies. Repeat the layers 2 or 3 more times, then top with the almond praline and few cookie pieces. Serve immediately or let stand at room temperature for up to 1 hour. Serves 12.
Recipe inspired by Aerin Lauder in collaboration with the Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen