The Ultimate Makeover Blueberry Trifle Food

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: BLUEBERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Make the custard: blend the sugar, custard powder and cornflour with 1 tbsp milk to make a runny paste. Beat in the egg yolk. Pour the remaining milk into a pan, scrape in the vanilla seeds, add the pod, then allow to come just to the boil. Stir this into the cornflour paste, then pour into a clean pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until thickened. Remove from the heat, then stir in the crème fraîche until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming, allow to cool, then chill until completely cold.
• Make the cake: heat oven to 180C/ fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly oil and line the base of a 20cm round cake tin. Put the sugar and eggs into a bowl. Whisk with electric beaters for 5 mins until very thick, paler in colour and the consistency of whipped cream. Sift over the flour and quickly, but lightly, fold it in. Spoon the mixture into the tin and carefully level it, being careful not to squash it. Bake for 25 mins until risen, then remove and cool on a wire rack. Peel off lining paper. Halve the cake so you have a semi-circle. (The other half can be frozen for another time.) Split the semi-circle in half with a knife, then sandwich back together with fruit spread.
• Put the sugar and lime zest for the fruit into a pan with 2 tbsp water. Bring slowly to the boil until the sugar has dissolved, then bubble for 1½-2 mins until syrupy. Tip in the blueberries, then cook very briefly, stirring once or twice only, just until they start to burst and release their juices (but still stay whole) and you get a purple syrup. Set aside to cool.
• The sponge and custard layers can be built up to 2-3 hrs ahead of when you want to serve. Cut the jammy sponge into cubes, then place in the base of a glass dish. Drizzle over the Marsala. Keep about ¼ of the berries back for the top, then spoon the rest over the sponge with a little syrup. Discard the pod from the custard, then pour it over the fruit.
• Just before serving, beat the yogurt, mascarpone and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Pile onto the custard, then drizzle over the reserved fruit and syrup. Use a skewer to swirl some of the juices through the creamy topping. Serve straight away or the syrup discolours the topping. This is best eaten the same day.

BLUEBERRY LEMON TRIFLE

Steps:

• Set aside 1/4 cup blueberries for garnish. In a large bowl, combine pie filling and yogurt. , In a 3-1/2-qt. serving or trifle bowl, layer a third of the cake cubes, lemon mixture and blueberries. Repeat layers twice. Top with whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Garnish with reserved blueberries and, if desired, lemon and mint.

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.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Use 1 tsp oil to lightly oil a 12-hole muffin tin (or use paper cases). Mix both flours with the baking powder and lemon zest. Reserve 1 tbsp caster sugar, then stir the rest into the flour with the muscovado.
• Mash the banana well. In another bowl beat the egg, then stir in the banana, buttermilk and oil. Using a large metal spoon, very lightly stir into the flour mix, just to combine. Over-mixing will make the muffins tough. Toss in the blueberries and give just a few turns of the spoon to carefully stir them in without crushing.
• Spoon the mixture into the tin - each hole should be very full. Bake for 20-25 mins until risen and golden.
• Mix the reserved caster sugar with the lemon juice. When the muffins are done, remove from the oven, then brush with the sugar and lemon mixture while they are still hot. Gently loosen the edges of each muffin with a knife, then leave in the tin for 15 mins to cool a little as they're very delicate while hot. Remove to a wire rack. Best eaten the day of making, but will keep for up to 2 days.

BLUEBERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• To prepare custard whisk together sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, milk, light cream and vanilla in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly 1 minute or until thickened.
• Remove from heat. Place pan in ice water; whisk until cool.
• Cover; chill in the freezer for 1 hour.
• To assemble trifle arrange 2 cups blueberries on bottom of 3-quart trifle bowl. Place half of cake cubes in trifle bowl.
• Drizzle with 2 tablespoons blueberry syrup. Top with 2 cups blueberries. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons syrup.
• Spoon 1 cup custard over syrup.
• Top with remaining cake cubes. Spoon remaining 2 cups blueberries over cake cubes.
• Spread preserves over blueberries. Spoon remaining 1 cup custard over preserves.
• Beat heavy cream with electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
• Spread over trifle.
• Garnish with toasted almonds and fresh blueberries if desired.
• Serve immediately.

BLUEBERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine 2 cups sugar, corstarch, and salt, mixing well. Add egg yolks and water to sugar mixture, whisking well to combine.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring often until mixture thickens, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Add lemon juice, butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla, stirring well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat cream and remaining 1/2 cup sugar at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form.
• In the bottom of a trivle bowl, layer half of the blueberry muffins. Top muffins with 3 cups blueberries. Top blueberries with half of whipped cream. Top whipped cream with two thirds of lemon mixture. Top remaining 3 cups blueberries and remaining blueberry muffins.
• In a large bowl, combine the remaining lemon mixtureand whipped cream, folding gently to combine. Spread over muffin layer.
• Garnish with additional blueberries and a lemon-peel curl if desired.

BLUEBERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Combine pudding mixes and milk according to package directions. Add almond flavoring to mixture.
• Layer 1/3 of pudding mixture on bottom of trifle dish. Layer 1/3 of pound cake cubes over pudding. Layer 1/3 of blueberries over pound cake.
• Repeat layering of pudding, cake and blueberries twice.
• Chill for 3-10 hours.
• When ready to serve, beat whipping cream and sugar at fast speed for 3-4 minutes until desired consistency.
• Spread whipped cream on top of trifle and serve.
• *** Also great with 'Zaar #18601 as the cake base! ***.