1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, finely ground in processor, divided
Chocolate Leaves (see recipe)
Whisk 1⅓ cups sugar, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup rum, 3 tablespoons brandy, egg yolks, and nutmeg in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and candy thermometer inserted into mixture registers 140°F for 3 minutes, about 5 minutes total. Remove bowl from over water. Whisk mascarpone, 1 container at a time, into warm custard until blended.
Using electric mixer, beat cream, vanilla, remaining 1 tablespoon brandy, and remaining 1 teaspoon rum in another large bowl until cream holds peaks. Fold in mascarpone mixture.
Bring remaining 1 cup water to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and espresso powder; stir to dissolve. Mix in Kahlúa. Submerge 1 cookie in espresso mixture, turning to coat twice; shake excess liquid back into saucepan. Place dipped cookie, sugared side facing out, around bottom side of 14-cup trifle dish, pressing against side of dish (cookie may break). Repeat with enough cookies to go around bottom sides of dish once. Dip more cookies and arrange over bottom of dish to cover.
Spoon 2 cups mascarpone mixture over cookies; spread to cover. Sprinkle ¼ cup ground chocolate over, making chocolate visible at sides of dish. Repeat with more cookies dipped into espresso mixture, mascarpone mixture, and ground chocolate in 2 more layers each. Cover with 1 more layer of dipped cookies and enough mascarpone mixture to reach top of trifle dish. Sprinkle remaining ground chocolate over, covering completely. Cover and chill overnight.
Gently press stem ends of largest Chocolate Leaves around edge of trifle. Fill center with smaller leaves.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Chill.
Gold-dusted chocolate leaves add a magnificent look to the trifle, as well as to a host of other holiday desserts. Use them to dress up glazed brownies, cakes, or chocolate mousse. You’ll find the edible gold dust at cake and candy supply stores, online at amazon.com or pastrychef.com, or from Jane’s Cakes & Chocolates at 818-957-2511. Makes about 40
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
40 assorted sizes of camellia leaves or lemon leaves, wiped clean Gold dust (optional)
Line large baking sheet with foil. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth and instant-read thermometer inserted into chocolate registers 115°F. Brush chocolate over veined side (underside) of 1 leaf, coating thickly and completely. Arrange chocolate side up on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining leaves and chocolate, rewarming chocolate if necessary to maintain 115°F temperature. Chill leaves until firm, about 45 minutes. Starting at stem end, carefully pull back green leaf, releasing chocolate. Return chocolate leaves to baking sheet.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Using small artist brush, carefully brush some leaves with gold dust, if desired.
White chocolate teams with mascarpone to form a thick and creamy mousse, and pears spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger form an extra layer of luxury throughout. Using a trifle dish shows off all the layers. Soft, cake-like ladyfingers complement the fluffy mousse. 10 to 12 servings
Spiced Pears
1 750-ml bottle dry white wine
2 cups pear juice or pear nectar
1¼ cups sugar
12 whole green cardamom pods, crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet
4 1-inch-diameter rounds peeled fresh ginger (each about ⅛ inch thick)
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
5 large firm but ripe Anjou pears (3 to ¾ pounds), peeled
Mousse
7 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
⅓ cup poire Williams (clear pear brandy)
¼ cup water
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 8- to 9-ounce container mascarpone cheese
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
Trifle Assembly
3 3-ounce packages soft ladyfingers, separated
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
¼ cup minced crystallized gingerWhite chocolate curlsPowdered sugar
SPICED PEARS: Combine white wine, pear juice, sugar, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until pears are just tender when pierced with knife, about 35 minutes. Transfer liquid with pears to large bowl and chill until cold, about 3 hours.
Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate. Transfer poaching liquid to heavy large saucepan; boil over medium-high heat until slightly thickened and reduced to generous 1½ cups, about 15 minutes. Strain into 2-cup measuring cup; discard spices in strainer. Cool. Cover and chill pears and pear syrup until cold.
MOUSSE: Combine white chocolate, pear brandy, and ¼ cup water in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until smooth (mixture will be very liquidy). Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean (reserve bean for another use). Transfer white chocolate mixture to large bowl; gradually add mascarpone, whisking until mixture is smooth. Cool mascarpone mixture until barely lukewarm.
Using electric mixer, beat cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture in 4 additions. Cover and chill white chocolate mousse until set, about 3 hours.
DO AHEAD: Pears and mousse can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
TRIFLE ASSEMBLY: Cut pears lengthwise in half and remove cores and stems. Cut halves lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices.
Arrange ladyfingers, rounded sides down, in single layer in bottom of 12-cup trifle dish (about 8 inches in diameter and 5 inches deep), covering bottom completely (using about 15 ladyfingers) [1]. Drizzle 5 tablespoons pear syrup evenly over ladyfingers. Using small offset spatula or spoon, spread ⅓ of white chocolate mousse over ladyfingers [2 and 3], making layer slightly thicker around outer edges of dish to allow mousse to be more visible (center of mousse layer will be thin). Starting at outer edges of dish, place pear slices in single layer with curved edges against sides of dish atop mousse, covering completely. Repeat layering of ladyfingers, syrup, mousse, and pears 2 more times. Cover with fourth layer of ladyfingers (some ladyfingers and pear slices may be left over). Drizzle ladyfingers evenly with 5 tablespoons syrup. Chill at least 6 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill trifle and remaining pear syrup separately.
Using electric mixer, beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add ¼ cup pear syrup and beat until stiff peaks form. Working in batches, transfer cream to large pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe rosettes all over top of trifle, mounding slightly in center. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Garnish with white chocolate curls.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.