Summer Trifle Food

ROYAL SUMMER TRIFLE

Steps:

• First, make the jelly. Put the gelatine in a small bowl, cover with water and set aside to soak. Meanwhile, tip the sugar, lemon zest and juice and 400ml water into a pan over a low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Add the strawberries and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 mins until the strawberries have broken down. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a jug. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine and stir this through the strawberry mixture until dissolved, then stir in a drop of red food colouring, if using.
• Pour the custard into the base of a 3-litre trifle bowl and top with the cake pieces. Drizzle with the berry cordial and scatter with the raspberries. Slowly and carefully pour over the jelly mixture and chill for 5 hrs until set.
• When the jelly layer is set, make the orange cream layer. Put the cream, sugar and orange zest in a pan over a low heat and bring to a simmer. Turn up the heat to medium and bubble for 3 mins exactly, then immediately remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice. Pour the mixture through a sieve over the set jelly layer and chill for 4 hrs.
• Whip the double cream, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste to soft peaks using an electric whisk, then dollop the whipped cream over the trifle using a large spoon. Chill for at least 1 hr or until ready to serve. Halve most of the strawberries through the stem and scatter these over the trifle along with the mint leaves. Serve the orange slices and remaining whole strawberries in a bowl on the side.

BERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Place the berries into a large bowl and sprinkle with half of the lemon juice. Lightly toss.
• Combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch and remaining lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook just until the berries begin to break down and give up their juices, about 3 minutes. Take the berries off the heat and let cool; the mixture should thicken up as is cools.
• In a clean bowl, whip the cream with the sugar and the vanilla to soft peaks. Put the lemon curd into a second bowl and stir in a little of the whipped cream to loosen it. Then fold in the rest of the cream.
• To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of the lemon cream into a large glass bowl. Add a layer of pound cake, breaking the slices into pieces that fit. Then soak the cake with a layer of berries and their juices. Keep going to make 3 or 4 more layers, depending on the size of the bowl, finishing with a layer of lemon cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

CLASSIC TRIFLE

Steps:

• Put 750g frozen summer fruit in a pan with 200g caster sugar and 1 litre water and bring to a gentle simmer.
• Cook for 2 mins, then scoop out 6 tbsp fruit and 150ml juice. Now carry on cooking the fruit in the pan for 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, soak 9 sheets leaf gelatine in cold water to soften it. If you have a hand blender, blitz the cooked fruit or mash with a potato masher, then strain through a sieve into a large bowl and push through the pulp so just the skins and seeds are left.
• Squeeze excess water from the gelatine, add to the hot fruit syrup and stir to dissolve. Cool, then chill until on the point of almost setting.
• Make the custard according to pack instructions with 75g custard powder, 1.2l milk and 50g caster sugar to create a really thick custard. Cover the surface with baking paper while it cools a little.
• Pile 1½ - 2 cubed madeira cakes into a trifle bowl, spoon over the reserved juice and berries, then 4 tbsp sherry or cassis.
• Pour over a thick layer of custard, pushing it against the side of the dish to seal in the cake below. Leave to cool and set with a skin - this makes a barrier for the jelly.
• When the custard is cold and set, and the jelly is on the point of setting, spoon the jelly over the custard and chill until ready to complete.
• Whip 300 - 450ml double cream with 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbsp icing sugar until just holding its shape, then spoon round the bowl over the set jelly. Scatter with 2 crushed amaretti biscuits and chill until ready to serve.

SUMMER FRUIT TRIFLE

Steps:

• Cover the bottom of a large bowl with 1/3 of the angel food cake cubes. Generously cover the cake with 1 1/3 cups yogurt. Spread 1 1/3 cups of the strawberry slices and blueberries on top of the yogurt. Repeat twice with the remaining cake cubes, yogurt, and berries. Serve immediately or chill until needed.

SUMMER-BERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Slice up strawberries, saving a few to garnish. Sprinkle with Splenda and mix with blueberries (save some of these too!), set aside.
• Prepare pudding as directed with skim milk. Refrigerate.
• Cut (with a knife) or tear 1/2 of the angel food cake into 1" cubes/pieces and place at the bottom of a large glass bowl.
• Splash 1 Tbps. sherry onto the cake (less or more, as you desire).
• Spoon 1/2 of the berry mix on top, spreading evenly.
• Spoon 1/2 of the pudding on top, spreading evenly.
• Repeat with remaining cake, sherry, berries and pudding to make another identical layer.
• Prepare Dream Whip as directed, and use to top the trifle. Decorate with whole or sliced strawberries and blueberries in a simple design.
• Chill for 30 minutes.
• Serve in small bowls. Enjoy!