Chocolate Caramel Trifle With Raspberries

Directions

1. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Coarsely chop 3 ounces of the chocolate and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in a microwave oven on full power (100%), stirring every 30 seconds, till melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 min total.
3. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1/2 c. butter and the sugar till fluffy. Add in Large eggs and vanilla and beat till well blended. Stir in melted chocolate.
4. In another bowl, mix 1 1/2 c. flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in flour mix and lowfat milk to butter mix, stir to combine, then beat till well blended. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread level.
5. Bake in a 350 degrees regular or possibly convec-tion oven till cake begins to pull from pan sides, 40 to 50 min. Let cake cold to room temperature in pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hrs.
6. Run a thin knife between cake and pan sides and invert onto a board to release. Cut cake into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes. Layer a third of the cubes in the bottom of a 3- to 3 1/2-qt trifle bowl or possibly other straight-sided glass bowl. Drizzle 1/4 c. liqueur proportionately over cake. Spoon a third of the Caramel Pastry Cream over cake and spread level. Repeat to make two more layers each of cake, liqueur, and pastry cream, ending with pastry cream. Cover and refrigerateat least 2 hrs or possibly up to 1 day.
7. Finely chop remaining 1 oz chocolate or possibly scrape into curls. Arrange raspberries on trifle and sprinkle chocolate proportionately over berries. Scoop onto dessert plates to serve.
8. This recipe yields 8 to 10 servings.
9. Comments: Make and cold pastry cream while cake bakes and cools. For a nonalcoholic version, substitute a hazelnut- or possibly raspberry-flavor syrup (such as Torani, available in most well-stocked supermarkets) for the liqueur; the trifle will be somewhat sweeter.