James Martin Trifle Food

RHUBARB CRUMBLE TRIFLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Arrange the rhubarb pieces in a large roasting tin. Sprinkle over the sugar, orange zest and juice, grenadine and 150ml water. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 mins until tender but not mushy. Scoop the rhubarb out of the tin into a sieve and reserve any juices, then leave to cool completely. Tip the rest of the liquid into a saucepan, along with the collected juices, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 mins or until reduced and syrupy. Leave to cool completely.
• To make the crumble topping, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs, then stir through the demerara sugar, almonds and oats. Tip onto a baking tray lined with parchment and bake for 15 mins, shaking the tray every so often, until golden brown, then cool.
• Mix the Disaronno and orange juice together in a shallow dish. Dip each sponge into the liquid, leaving it for about 15 secs on each side, then arrange them in the base of a large trifle dish. Tip the mascarpone into a bowl and whisk until soft and smooth, then add the custard, a little at a time, and mix until combined. Arrange half the rhubarb pieces on top of the sponges, discarding the orange zest. Drizzle over 2 tbsp of the rhubarb syrup and top with half the custard mix. Follow with another layer of rhubarb, 1 tbsp of the syrup, and the remaining custard.
• Whip the cream and 2 tbsp sugar to soft peaks and dollop over the custard. Drizzle over the remaining rhubarb syrup, along with a scattering of the crumble topping. Tip any extra crumble into a bowl and pass around the table.

YORKSHIRE PARKIN & BLACKBERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Start by making the parkin. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking parchment and grease well with butter.
• Put the butter and syrup in a small saucepan and heat gently until melted. In a large bowl, tip in the flour, sugar, ginger and bicarbonate of soda, then slowly pour in the butter and syrup, stirring all the time. Add the beaten egg and milk, then mix until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Make the compote while the parkin is baking. Put the blackberries in a food processor with the sugar and lemon juice and blitz until smooth. Push the mixture through a sieve into a jug to remove the seeds, then stir in the amaretto. Put in the fridge until needed.
• Next, make the custard. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and cornflour until smooth and pale. Put the milk, cream and vanilla seeds into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring regularly.
• When the milk and cream mixture is hot but not yet boiling, pour a little onto the egg mixture and whisk it in, then pour the lot back into the pan with the rest of the milk and cream. Continue to heat very gently, whisking all the time, until the mixture is glossy and is starting to thicken. Pour the custard through a sieve and cover with cling film to stop a skin forming while it cools.
• Once the parkin is cooked, turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• You can now assemble the trifle - cut the parkin into 16 squares and crumble or slice a few of these to fit the base of a large trifle bowl. Add just less than half of the compote and a few whole blackberries, then pour over half the custard. Give the dish a gentle shake to level the mixture, then repeat the layering process once more, reserving a few cubes of parkin. Pour a spiral of compote over the top of the final layer of custard, then use a skewer to drag spokes out from the centre to create a marbled effect. Scatter over a few whole blackberries, then chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add the reserved parkin and the crystallised ginger, then dust with icing sugar.

BLACK FOREST TRIFLE

Steps:

• Put the custard into a pan with the chocolate pieces. Gently heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted into the custard. Cover with cling film and cool.
• Arrange the brownies in the base of a trifle bowl. Drain the jars of cherries, reserving the liquid, and scatter over the brownies. Drizzle over 100ml reserved liquid. Spoon the cooled chocolate custard over and chill while you make the topping.
• Lightly whip the cream with the crème fraîche and icing sugar until soft peaks form. Chill until ready to serve, then pile on top of the trifle and decorate with grated chocolate and fresh cherries, if you like.