Chocolate Banana Trifle

To prepare chocolate custard bring milk and coffee to a boil over medium heat. Reserve 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped chocolate for the garnish. Stir remaining chocolate and cocoa into hot milk mixture and stir until chocolate melts.

Combine sugar with cornstarch in a bowl and beat in eggs. Whisk chocolate milk mixture into egg cornstarch mixture slowly and return to saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook just until mixture returns to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Strain only if necessary. Cool while preparing remainder of recipe.

Slice bananas. Break up chocolate cookies coarsely and place 1/3 of them in the bottom of a 6 cup (1.5 L) bowl. Cover with half of the custard. Cover custard with half of the sliced bananas. Layer cookies, custard and bananas again and top with a layer of cookies.

Whip cream with sugar and spread over final layer of cookies. Sprinkle with reserved chopped chocolate. This can be eaten immediately, however cookies will soften and become more cake-like if trifle is refrigerated a few hours. Microwave Method: To prepare custard, bring milk and coffee to a boil in a 12-cup (3 L) casserole dish on High (100 % power) for 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile combine sugar with cornstarch and beat in eggs. Reserve 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped chocolate for the garnish. Add the rest of the chocolate and cocoa to hot milk, stirring until chocolate melts. Add cornstarch / egg mixture to the milk and whisk well. Cook on Medium (50 % power) 4 to 6 min until mixture thickens. Stir every 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract. Continue as for conventional recipe.