Summer fruit trifle (Serves 4-6)
For base:
· 120g mixed berries (strawberries, sliced, raspberries, blueberries etc)
· 50g sponge cake
· 75ml Sauternes or a good dessert wine
for the jelly
· 220ml water
· 100g caster sugar
· 9g leaf gelatine (3 sheets)
for the custard
· Half a vanilla pod
· 300ml single cream
· 5 egg yolks
· 60g caster sugar
· 2 teaspoons corn flour
for the topping
· 250ml (8fl oz) double cream
· 60g caster sugar
· 2tbsp white wine
· juice of half a lemon
· pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
· 20-30g almonds toasted with 1tsp sugar or crushed macaroons, to serve
1. For the jelly, bring the water to the boil,
2. add the sugar and stir until dissolved then remove from the heat.
3. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a minute or so until soft.
4. Squeeze out the water, add to the syrup and stir until dissolved, then leave the jelly to cool but do not let it set.
5. Break the sponge into pieces and put into 4 individual glass serving dishes or 1 large one and pour over the Sauternes.
6. Divide the berries between the dishes (cut larger strawberries in half) and put on top of the soaked sponge then pour over the cooled, but not set, jelly so it just covers the berries.
7. Put in the fridge for an hour or so to set.
8. Make the custard. Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds with the point of a knife.
9. Put the single cream, vanilla pod and seeds into a small saucepan and bring f to the boil.
10. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for about 10 minutes.
11. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar and corn flour together.
12. Take out the vanilla pod and pour the cream on to the egg mixture and mix well with a whisk.
13. Return to the pan and cook gently over a low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens. (Don’t let it boil!)
14. Remove from the heat and give it a final mix with a whisk.
15. Transfer to a bowl, lay a sheet of cling film over the surface of the custard to prevent it forming a skin and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.
16. Once the jelly has set spoon over the custard then leave to set for half an hour or so.
17. Now prepare the topping. Put the double cream, sugar, white wine, lemon juice and nutmeg into a bowl and carefully whisk until fairly firm (this won’t take too long as the lemon juice thickens up the cream).
18. Leave in the fridge until the custard has set.
19. To serve, spoon the cream mixture on top of the trifle and decorate with the almonds toasted with a little sugar in the oven (watch them like a hawk or they’ll burn) or use crushed macaroons