Gooseberry Jam Muscat Mascarpone Cake Food

GOOSEBERRY JAM, MUSCAT & MASCARPONE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and butter two 23cm cake tins, then line with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy using an electric whisk, then beat in the almond extract and the lemon zest. Mix the flour, almonds and a pinch of salt together in another bowl. With the whisk on a low speed, gradually add the yogurt and eggs to the bowl with the butter and sugar mixture, alternating with spoonfuls of the flour and almond mixture until everything is fully combined.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared tins, dividing it evenly. Bake for 30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave the cakes in the tin to cool for 5 mins, then turn them out onto a wire rack, peel away the parchment and leave to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Whisk the mascarpone, cream, wine and icing sugar together using an electric whisk for 2-3 mins until you have soft peaks.
• Put one of the cooled cakes on a serving plate. Carefully spread over the jam (it's easy to break the sponge so be gentle), then gently spread the mascarpone cream on top of the jam. Put the second sponge on top. Sift over some icing sugar and decorate with edible flowers, if you like. White or cream flowers are lovely on this, but if you can't find them, go for a single colour. Alternatively, sprinkle over some lightly toasted flaked almonds before sifting over the extra icing sugar.

APRICOT GOOSEBERRY LAYERED TRIFLE DESSERT WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• Spread most of the gooseberry jam on the insides of the split ladyfingers and sandwich them together. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the remaining jam with the limoncello, lemon zest, finely minced lemon verbena, the vanilla, granulated sugar, mascarpone cheese and creme fraiche. Combine well.
• In each dessert glass, arrange 2 or 3 ladyfingers upright around the edges, then place a few gooseberries and apricot chunks into the bottom of the glass.
• Spoon the mascarpone cream into the dessert glasses, forming a slight mound.
• Top each trifle with the remaining apricot chunks and gooseberries, pressing the fruit gently into the cream.
• Chill until serving time (may be assembled up to 24 hours in advance, cover with cling wrap if not serving within a few hours).

GOOSEBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Remove and discard all the stems.
• Place the gooseberries in a jam pan or wide sauce pan. Add the water; cook over medium heat until gooseberries are just tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add sugar and lemon juice and keep stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• Turn up the heat; bring mixture to a boil.
• Continue to cook rapidly until setting point is reached, about 45 minutes.
• Ladle into warm sterilized jars and seal.