Recipe Ali Irvine

Serving size: Serves 8
Cuisine type: Modern Australian
Cooking time: More than 2 hours
Course: Dessert
Favourite flavours: Easy recipes

Real Living recipe for sparkling berry trifles.

INGREDIENTS

Jelly
1½ cups sparkling wine
2/3 cup cold water + some extra
1/3 cup caster sugar
4 gelatine leaves
500g strawberries, hulled & halved
125g raspberries
125g blueberries

Custard
1¼ cups milk
300ml cream
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out
6 egg yolks
¼ cup cornflour
½ cup caster sugar

To assemble
600ml thickened cream
1 double unfilled sponge, halved horizontally & cut to fit vessels
¼ cup strawberry liqueur

Equipment
Saucepan
1 small, 1 medium & 2 large mixing bowls
Fine sieve
Jug
8 x 1½- to 2-cup glass serving vessels
Cling wrap
Whisk
Silicone spatula or flat-bottomed wooden spoon
Electric beaters

METHOD

Make jelly Place wine, water and sugar in saucepan over low heat for a few mins, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Meanwhile, in small bowl, soak gelatine in extra water for a few mins until softened. Squeeze to remove excess water. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatine. Pour mixture through sieve into jug. Divide most of berries between serving vessels (keep some for garnish) and pour jelly over top. Chill for 4 hrs or overnight to set.

Make custard Place milk, cream, vanilla bean and seeds in saucepan and bring to simmer over high heat. Meanwhile, in large bowl whisk egg yolks, cornflour and extra caster sugar until well combined. Pour over hot milk mixture. Whisk to combine. Return mixture to saucepan and place on low-to-medium heat for 10 mins, stirring continuously with spatula or wooden spoon until thickened. Remove from heat and push through sieve into second large bowl. Cover with cling wrap, allowing it to touch surface to prevent skin forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hrs.

Assemble In medium bowl, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Pour custard over jelly in serving vessels and top with sponge pieces. Drizzle with strawberry liqueur.

Cover with whipped cream and serve with remaining berries.

Tips For a kid-friendly dessert, substitute sparkling wine with apple juice and eliminate the liqueur. If you don’t have individual vessels, make this recipe in a 3-litre-capacity vessel.