Watermelon-Rose Trifle
Published May 4, 2019
Bobby Doherty for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Rebecca Bartoshesky.
- Total Time
- 1¼ hours, plus 1 hour chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE WATERMELON
1 small seedless watermelon (about 3 ½ pounds)
1 tablespoon rose water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
FOR THE ALMOND DACQUOISE
Cooking spray
1 ½ cups/185 grams blanched whole or slivered almonds
1 ¼ cups/155 grams confectioners’ sugar
5 egg whites
⅔ cup/135 grams granulated sugar
FOR THE ROSE CREAM
2 cups/475 milliliters heavy cream
¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar
1 tablespoon rose water
TO ASSEMBLE
2 cups/300 grams fresh strawberries, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon rose water
1 tablespoon pistachios, sliced
1 tablespoon organic dried rose petals
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
75 grams carbs; 68 milligrams cholesterol; 654 calories; 16 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 38 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 5 grams fiber; 50 milligrams sodium; 10 grams protein; 65 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the watermelon: Use a serrated knife to carefully remove the watermelon rind, then cut the watermelon into ½-inch-thick slices. Transfer slices to a wire rack. Sprinkle rose water and sugar on top, and let the fruit macerate for about 30 minutes. Pat dry on both sides with paper towels, and cut into 2-inch pieces.
- Step 2
Prepare the almond dacquoise: Heat the oven to 400. Line a 13-by-18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper; grease the top of the parchment paper with cooking spray. Put the almonds in a food processor, and process until finely ground. Transfer 1 cup ground almonds to a medium bowl, and stir in the confectioners’ sugar. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high until soft peaks form, about 90 seconds, then gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until the mixture is stiff and shiny, about 2 minutes. Fold in the almond mixture, transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet, and spread out in an even layer. Bake until light golden, about 10 to 15 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Step 3
Prepare the rose cream: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream and sugar on medium until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the rose water, and continue whipping just until the mixture forms stiff peaks, another 1 or 2 minutes.
- Step 4
Invert the dacquoise onto a cutting board, then peel off and discard the parchment paper. If the outer edges of the dacquoise have browned and are crisp, trim them off (to snack on!). Cut the cake into 2-inch squares. Use about half the cake pieces to cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Spread ⅓ of the rose cream over the cake, then scatter with half the ground almonds. Add watermelon pieces to cover (you can eat any watermelon that remains after this), then sprinkle with the remaining ground almonds. Spread half the remaining rose cream over the watermelon, and top with remaining cake pieces. Finish with all the rose cream, and place in the fridge to firm up for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
- Step 5
Just before serving, mix the strawberries, sugar and rose water in a medium bowl. Scatter on top of the cake, and sprinkle with pistachios and rose petals. To serve, scoop the trifle into bowls.
Private Notes
Comments
It's difficult to imagine that the watermelon doesn't make this entire dish soupy if it sits for any length of time. Can anyone who tries it describe the texture? Thanks!
For anyone fortunate enough to have scented roses growing organically in their yard, consider making your own rose cream: lightly wash the petals from 3-5 roses, heat but do not boil the heavy cream, immerse the petals and cool. Strain the petals out and whip the cream. Oh, and candy a few fresh petals as garnish. I suggest President Lincoln, or any very highly scented David Austin rose-- but with true Damask or European rose flavor, not tea roses or musk scented.
It does stay firm because everything is chilled (and honestly it does not last long) and there is enough division between the watermelon and the cream which prevents it from going very mushy. Hope it helps.
I’m confused - the instructions say to put all the ground almonds into the cake, then to scatter ground almonds on top as part of the layering process after the cake is made. Am I supposed to divide the ground almonds and save some for the later step?
This was delightfully different and an absolute hit at my mom’s birthday gathering. She loves rosewater—as do we—so we didn’t find the amount at all overpowering. The macerated and drained watermelon stayed surprisingly crunchy and refreshing, even into the next day. It’s sure to become a favorite special occasion dessert, so beautiful and scrumptious while not too complicated to prepare. Try it and see for yourself!!!
@Asma a "traditional trifle" uses "sponge cake". Sponge cake is a fatless (no butter or oil) cake that uses whipped eggs for leaving. Other fatless sponge include saviodori (sp) biscuits aka ladyfingers. I think chiffon sponge by definition counts too? Otherwise any thinly sliced homemade cake please (shop bought is flavourless) such as Victoria Sponge would do