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Thanksgiving gingersnap butternut squash trifle from Chef Holly Chute

Published  November 26, 2019 3:48pm EST
Seen on TV
FOX 5 Atlanta

Holly Chute’s Thanksgiving dessert

Holly Chute was the chef for six Georgia governors and knows a thing or two about cooking.

ATLANTA - Chef Holly Chute is the executive chef for the State of Georgia. She's served as chef to six Georgia governors and now runs the Georgia Grown program which promotes local agriculture. While visiting Good Day Atlanta, she shared her Gingersnap Butternut Squash Trifle. C

hef Holly says it's a little something different than your typical holiday pastry dishes.

Check out the recipe below, and for more information on the Georgia Grown Program click here.

Gingersnap Butternut Squash Trifle

  • 1 12 ounce box ginger snaps
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla or rum extract
  • 3 Cups mashed roasted butternut squash
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ Cup light brown sugar
  • 2 Cups Candied or spiced pecans, broken in pieces
  • 1 recipe pastry cream

Pastry Cream (you can also use packaged vanilla pudding)

  • 2 cups milk
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, heat milk to just under boiling.  While milk is heating, combine yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl.  Whisk yolks until light.  Slowly add scalded milk, whisking to avoid curdling.  Pour yolk mixture back into pot and slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Add vanilla. Set aside.

Whip cream with sugar and extract until soft peaks form.

Trifle

To assemble trifle: combine butternut squash in a bowl with cinnamon and ginger, mixing well.  Fold pastry cream and squash mixture together.

Crumble ginger snaps with fingers, leaving in big chunks.  Place one third of ginger snaps in the bottom of trifle bowl or other glass bowl.  Top with one third of squash mixture, spreading evenly over ginger snaps.  Top squash with one third of whipped cream then sprinkle with one third of Heath bits on top.  Repeat this process twice more finishing with whipped cream and Heath bits.  Refrigerate several hours before serving.  Serves 12 – 16.