Entertaining Dessert

Fruits of the forest Christmas trifle

Name: Fruits of the forest Christmas trifle recipe
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1 small bunch (about 300g) rhubarb, washed, chopped; Finely grated zest & juice of 1 orange; 1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar; 2 vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped; 2 star anise; 400g pitted fresh or frozen cherries; 250g fresh raspberries; 1/2 cup (125ml) Cointreau; 1/4 cup (35g) cornflour; 3 egg yolks; 1 1/2 cups (180g) pure icing sugar, sifted; 2 cups (500ml) thickened cream; 2 cups (500g) mascarpone; 300g savoiardi biscuits; Crushed freeze-dried raspberries, to serve

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by Phoebe Wood

Nov 22, 2021

It's not Christmas without a perfect trifle, and this one really takes the cake, if you'll excuse the pun. You'll need to start this recipe 4 hours ahead, and you'll need a 2.5L trifle dish and a piping bag with plain nozzle.

1 small bunch (about 300g) rhubarb, washed, chopped
Finely grated zest & juice of 1 orange
1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
2 vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped
2 star anise
400g pitted fresh or frozen cherries
250g fresh raspberries
1/2 cup (125ml) Cointreau
1/4 cup (35g) cornflour
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups (180g) pure icing sugar, sifted
2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
2 cups (500g) mascarpone
300g savoiardi biscuits
Crushed freeze-dried raspberries, to serve

Method

1.

To make the compote, place rhubarb, orange zest and juice, caster sugar, 1 vanilla pod and seeds, star anise and 1 cup (250ml) water in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until rhubarb is soft and sugar has dissolved. Remove vanilla pod and star anise. Add cherries and half the raspberries. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until fruit is very soft. Scoop out 1 cup (250ml) fruit syrup and add to a bowl with 1/3 cup (80ml) Cointreau. Set aside to cool completely. Scoop out another 1 cup (250ml) fruit syrup and stir in cornflour until smooth, then return to pan with compote and cook over a low heat, stirring, for 6-8 minutes until very thick. Cool completely, then stir in remaining raspberries. Set aside.
2.

Meanwhile, place egg yolks, icing sugar and remaining vanilla seeds in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high until thick and pale, then add cream and whisk to soft peaks. Add mascarpone. Whisk until thick. Fold through remaining 45ml Cointreau.
3.

Dip one-third of savoiardi in Cointreau- fruit syrup and arrange in the base of a 2.5L trifle dish. Spoon over one-third of the compote, then one-third of cream. Repeat layering twice, finishing on a fruit layer.
4.

Transfer remaining cream mixture to a piping bag fitted with a wide, plain nozzle and pipe cream over the top of the trifle. Chill for at least 4 hours before scattering with freeze-dried raspberries, to serve.