Ingredients
For the Simple Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
For the Baked Apples and Pears
3 large Gala or Fuji apples peeled, cored, and sliced (about 4 cups)
3 large Asian pears, peeled, cored, sliced (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
To assemble Trifle
1 16-ounce pound cake,
24 ounces prepared vanilla pudding
2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
Preparation
For the simple syrup, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 minute. Cover and chill. For the apples and pears, preheat oven to 375°F. Mix apples, pears, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon and butter in a bowl. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fruit is golden and tender, stirring every 15 minutes, about 45 minutes. Cool. To assemble the trifle, cut pound cake crosswise into 8 pieces. Cut each piece into 3 strips. Line bottom of 3-quart trifle dish with 8 cake strips. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons simple syrup and spread with 11/2 cups pudding and 3 cups fruit. Top with remaining cake and then layers of syrup, pudding, and 3 cup apples and pears, reserving extra apples and pears. Chill at least 6 hours. To finish the trifle, whip cream and 3 tablespoons sugar in a bowl until soft peaks form. Spread over trifle. Fan remaining apples and pears over cream. Serve.
