Breakfast Trifle Nigella Lawson Food

CHOCOLATE CHERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Slice the chocolate pound cake and make jam sandwiches with the cherry jam, and layer the bottom of a large wide trifle bowl. Pour over the cherry brandy so that the cake soaks it up, and then top with the drained cherries. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to macerate while you make the custard.
• Melt the chocolate on low to medium heat in the microwave, checking after 2 minutes, though it will probably need 4 minutes. Or you can place it in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate is melted, ser aside while you get on with the custard.
• In a saucepan warm the milk and cream. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cocoa in a large bowl. Pour the warm milk and cream into the bowl whisking it into the yolks and sugar mixture. Stir in the melted chocolate, scraping the sides well with a rubber spatula to get all of it in, and pour the custard back into the rinsed saucepan. Cook over a medium heat until the custard thickens, stirring all the time. Make sure it doesn't boil, as it will split and curdle. Keep a sink full of cold water so that if you get scared you can plunge the bottom of the custard pan into the cold water and
• whisk like mad, which will avert possible crisis.
• The custard will get darker as it cooks and the flecks of chocolate will melt once the custard has thickened. And you do need this thick, so don't panic so much that you stop cooking while it is still runny. Admittedly, it continues to thicken as it cools and also when it's chilling in the refrigerator. Once it is ready, pour into a bowl to cool and cover the top of the custard with cling wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
• When the custard is cold, pour and spread it over the chocolate cake layer in the trifle bowl, and leave in the refrigerator to set, covered in plastic wrap overnight.
• When you are ready to decorate, softly whip the cream for the topping and spread it gently over the layer of custard. Grate the chocolate over the top.

ORANGE AND BLACKBERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Cut the cake into slices and arrange them on a plate or a wide, shallow dish. Drizzle with the orange liqueur.
• Zest the orange or clementines into a bowl and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the orange or clementines, over the liqueur-soaked cake.
• Whip the cream in a small bowl until thick but soft, and spoon it unfancily over the top of the saturated, not to say gloriously sodden, cake.
• Arrange the blackberries over the top of the whipped cream, then scatter with the reserved zest before serving.

BREAKFAST BARS 2.0

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F)/gas mark 4 or, and line the bottom and sides of your tin with baking parchment. Pit the dates and tear them with your fingers into a small saucepan, add the cinnamon, cover with the water, bring to the boil and let bubble for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and beat with a fork until you have a rough puree.
• Put all the remaining ingredients into a large bowl, add the date mixture and mix until everything is combined. I wear a pair of disposable vinyl gloves for this.
• Squodge into your prepared tin and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until firm and set, and golden on top and darker around the edges. Leave to cool in the tin before cutting into pieces.

BREAKFAST TRIFLE - NIGELLA LAWSON

Steps:

• Puree frozen strawberries.
• Add sugar (this way it will melt and mix better).
• Mix lightly with a spoon.
• In a single-serve trifle glass or cocktail glass, arrange these layers.
• Add raspberry puree. Then put a layer of Greek yogurt (use Greek yogurt as its more creamy and luscious than ordinary yogurt).
• Add some cookie crumbs.
• Add another layer of raspberries, then Greek yogurt and again cookie crumbs, finishing off with the cookie layer.
• Serve chilled.

RASPBERRY AND LEMONGRASS TRIFLE

Steps:

• Make a syrup with the water and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar by bringing them to the boil in a saucepan and boiling for 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, add the lemongrass and let it infuse for about half an hour.
• Strain the syrup into a measuring cup, keeping the saucepan with the lemongrass to 1 side. Take out about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the syrup and put it into a pan with the raspberries. Bring it to a rolling boil and let it thicken slightly, mashing the fruit to make a jam-like consistency. Let it cool a little and then dunk the ladyfingers in the raspberry mixture and arrange them in the bottom of your bowl. Add the vodka and about 1/2 cup of the lemongrass syrup, depending on how much your ladyfingers absorb, and reserve the rest.
• Meanwhile, to make the custard, heat the light cream in the syrup pan with the lemongrass until it is nearly boiling, take it off the heat and let it infuse for about 15 minutes. Strain into a bowl. Whisk the yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar together and pour into the cream in the bowl. Then whisk again and put the custard back on the heat in the cleaned-out pan. Stir until the custard thickens and then pour it over the trifle sponges. Let it cool.
• Whip the heavy cream until thick but not stiff, and cover the custard layer. Use about 1 cup of the remaining sugar syrup to make a caramel by heating it in a saucepan until it turns a golden brown. Drizzle the caramelized sugar syrup over the layer of cream to decorate.