Cranberry Clementine Trifle Food

CANADIAN CRANBERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, cranberry sauce, sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered, until thickened, 10-15 minutes. Add wine and extract. Remove from heat; cool completely., For custard, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in another large saucepan; gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2-3 minutes longer. Remove from heat., In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks. Return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in coconut extract. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour., To assemble, cut cake into 1-in. cubes. In a 3-qt. trifle bowl or other glass serving dish, place half of the cake cubes; sprinkle with wine if desired. Layer with half of the almonds, cranberry mixture and custard. Repeat layers. Refrigerate, covered, until serving. Top with whipped cream, additional cranberries and toasted almonds.

CRANBERRY CLEMENTINE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan combine fresh cranberries, clementines, orange and cranberry juices, sugar, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the dried cranberries and simmer for 10 to 15 more minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Eat warm or at room temp.
• Very berry!!
• November - Why We Love: Cranberries

CRANBERRY-CLEMENTINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine one 12-ounce bag cranberries, the segments from 6 clementines, 1/2 cup each orange juice and cranberry juice, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 star anise pod in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add 1 cup dried cranberries and simmer 15 more minutes, or until thickened.

CRANBERRY & CLEMENTINE JELLY

Steps:

• Tip the berries and clementines into a preserving pan, and pour in 1 litre of water. Gently heat, stirring frequently, for 30 mins until the berries are soft. As the mixture softens, lightly crush to release all the juice from the berries. You can do this with a potato masher.
• Cool the mixture, then tip it into a jelly bag suspended over a large bowl, or into a large plastic sieve lined with muslin. You need a plastic sieve, as the acidity in the fruit will affect anything metal. Leave overnight so that the juices run through.
• The next day, measure the liquid. You should end up with 1.4 litres. If you have less, make up the mixture with water. If more, boil to evaporate the excess. Meanwhile, sterilise your jars and put a small plate in the freezer to chill.
• Return the liquid to the pan and add the sugar. Heat until dissolved, then bring to the boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface, and allow to cook for about 20 mins. Use a sugar thermometer to take the temperature up to 105C or, after 15 mins, start checking it's set by dropping the mixture onto a chilled plate. When it is ready, the mixture will appear set when you push your finger through. The drips that come off the spoon will also look syrupy. Spoon off any remaining scum and stir in the Port. Pot into the jars, then leave to set. Will keep for at least a year.

INDIVIDUAL CRANBERRY TRIFLES

Steps:

• Prepare, bake and cool angel food cake according to package directions. Cut into 1-in. cubes; set aside. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, sour cream and vanilla; beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. In a bowl, combine the cranberry sauce, sugar and orange zest. , In individual parfait glasses or a 3-qt. trifle bowl, layer half of the cake cubes, cranberry mixture and whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish with cranberries and mint if desired.

VEGAN TRIFLE

Steps:

• To make the sponge, heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and oil and line a 20cm square or round cake tin with parchment. Mix the vegetable oil, vanilla paste, lemon juice and plant milk in a jug. Tip the baking powder, caster sugar and flour into a large bowl. Make a well and slowly whisk in the vegetable oil mixture until smooth, then spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 mins until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the compote. Put the raspberries, sugar, lemon and 50ml water in a small pan, bring to a simmer and cook for 4-6 mins until the fruit breaks down a little to a sauce. Remove and set aside to cool.
• To make the custard, put the cornflour in a bowl and add a splash of the cold plant milk, and stir until lump-free. Pour this mixture into a saucepan with the remaining ingredients, including the rest of the milk, and cook over a low heat for 6-8 mins, stirring often, until you get a thick custard that coats the back of a spoon thickly. Cover the surface with a piece of parchment and set aside to cool.
• To assemble, cut the sponge into squares or fingers, and place in the bottom of a trifle dish. Spoon over the compote, then add 150g of the raspberries. Give the cooled custard a brief whisk, then pour over the top of the raspberries. Chill for 1-2 hrs until the custard has set.
• Whip all of the ingredients for the cream together until you get soft peaks (it's best to taste the cream for sweetness before adding the icing sugar), and spoon over the top of the set custard. Chill until ready to serve. Scatter with the remaining raspberries, mint, almonds and a dusting of icing sugar to decorate, if you like.