Easy Dessert

Matt Preston's birthday cake trifle

Name: Easy cake trifle recipe by Matt Preston
Ingredients: 14 oranges juiced (to make 750ml juice), strained through a fine sieve, plus zest of 1 orange; 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar; 4 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes to soften; 1 mandarin, segmented; 300ml thickened cream; 100g sour cream; 1/3 cup (40g) pure icing sugar, sifted; 300g store-bought chocolate caramel brownie, torn into large pieces; Grand Marnier, to drizzle; 1/3 cup (45g) toasted slivered almonds; Sprinkles, to serve; 500g dark (70%) chocolate, finely chopped; 2 cups (500ml) pure cream; 400g dark (70%) chocolate, finely chopped; 200g each white and milk chocolate, finely chopped; 4 eggwhites; 1 cup (250ml) thickened cream; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 200g milk chocolate, finely chopped; 80g Coco Pops

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by Matt Preston

delicious. senior editor

Oct 17, 2019

Matt Preston shows he's the life of the party… with an epic cake trifle he created for our 18th birthday. Begin this recipe 1 day ahead. You will need a 3L-capacity dish.

14 oranges juiced (to make 750ml juice), strained through a fine sieve, plus zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
4 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes to soften
1 mandarin, segmented
300ml thickened cream
100g sour cream
1/3 cup (40g) pure icing sugar, sifted
300g store-bought chocolate caramel brownie, torn into large pieces
Grand Marnier, to drizzle
1/3 cup (45g) toasted slivered almonds
Sprinkles, to serve

Ganache

500g dark (70%) chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups (500ml) pure cream

Mousse

400g dark (70%) chocolate, finely chopped
200g each white and milk chocolate, finely chopped
4 eggwhites
1 cup (250ml) thickened cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate crackle

200g milk chocolate, finely chopped
80g Coco Pops

Method

1.

For the ganache, place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Place cream in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate and stir to combine until chocolate is smooth. Pour ganache into a 3L-capacity dish and chill for 2-3 hours until set.
2.

Meanwhile for the crackle, grease a large oven tray and line with baking paper. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Add in the Coco Pops and stir to combine. Place 1 heaped tbs of mixture onto prepared tray and repeat with remaining mixture until all of the mixture is used up. Chill until needed.
3.

Place half of the orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 6-8 minutes until sugar has dissolved. Squeeze excess water from gelatine and stir into orange and sugar mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl with remaining 375ml orange juice and mandarin segments. Gently pour over ganache layer and chill for 4-5 hours until set.
4.

To make the cream, place the thickened cream, sour cream and icing sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk to stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5.

For the mousse, place chocolates and 1 cup (250ml) boiling water in a blender, and whiz until melted and smooth. Add eggwhites and whiz until smooth and combined, then add the cream and vanilla, and whiz to combine. Pour on top of the orange and mandarin jelly and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set.
6.

catter mousse layer with crumbled brownie and drizzle with as much Grand Marnier as you'd like. Spoon over the cream and scatter with almonds and chocolate crackle. Scatter over orange zest and sprinkles to serve.