Nigella Lawson Trifle 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.

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.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a large heavy based pan over a low heat.
• In a bowl or large measuring jug, beat the eggs together with the superfine sugar and vanilla extract.
• Allow the chocolate mixture to cool a little, then add the egg and sugar mixture and beat well. Fold in the flour and salt. Then stir in the white chocolate buttons or chips, and the semisweet chocolate buttons or chips. Beat to combine then scrape and pour the brownie mixture into the prepared tin.
• Bake for about 25 minutes. You can see when the brownies are ready because the top dries to a slightly paler brown speckle, while the middle remains dark, dense and gooey. Even with such a big batch you do need to keep checking on it: the difference between gooey brownies and dry ones is only a few minutes. Remember, too, that they will continue to cook as they cool.
• To serve, cut into squares while still warm and pile up on a large plate, sprinkling with confectioners' sugar pushed with a teaspoon through a small sieve.

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.

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 cling 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 cling 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.

NIGELLA'S BLACKBERRY TRIFLE WITH CREAMY LIMONCELLO MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Split the lady fingers and make little sandwiches of them using more than half of the jam, then press them into a 2-quart size glass bowl.
• Crumble the amaretti cookies and scatter most of them evenly over the lady fingers, reserving a bit for the topping, and then pour a generous 1/2 cup limoncello over them.
• In a medium bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons limoncello with the remaining currant jam. Add the blackberries, stirring gently to coat.
• Spoon the blackberries over the crumbled cookies.
• Whisk together the remaining limoncello with the sugar and mascarpone until light and fluffy. Spread gently and evenly over the blackberries in the bowl.
• In a small bowl, toss together the remaining amaretti crumbs with the toasted slivered almonds, then sprinkle over the surface of the trifle.
• Spoon into dessert glasses to serve.