Dessert

Rhubarb and gingerbread

Name: Rhubarb and gingerbread trifle recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 300ml thickened cream, whipped; 250g sour cream; 2 tbs ginger wine (optional – from bottle shops); Freeze-dried raspberries (optional – substitute torn fresh raspberries), to serve; 125g unsalted butter, chopped; 175g molasses; 1 1/3 cups (200g) self-raising flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 125g brown sugar; 1 egg; 500g rhubarb, trimmed; 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar; 3 cups (750ml) sparkling white wine (substitute good-quality non-alcoholic sparkling ruby cabernet); 5 titanium-strength gelatine leaves; Pink food colouring

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by Charlotte Binns-McDonald

Dec 01, 2017

Completely different, yet comfortingly familiar at the same time, this is one trifle that's bound to intrigue and delight this Christmas.

300ml thickened cream, whipped
250g sour cream
2 tbs ginger wine (optional – from bottle shops)
Freeze-dried raspberries (optional – substitute torn fresh raspberries), to serve

Gingerbread cake

125g unsalted butter, chopped
175g molasses
1 1/3 cups (200g) self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
125g brown sugar
1 egg

Rhubarb wine jelly

500g rhubarb, trimmed
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
3 cups (750ml) sparkling white wine (substitute good-quality non-alcoholic sparkling ruby cabernet)
5 titanium-strength gelatine leaves
Pink food colouring

Method

1.

For rhubarb wine jelly, reserve 1 rhubarb stalk to serve. Cut remaining stalks into 5cm pieces. Place chopped rhubarb, sugar and 1/2 cup (125ml) water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, partially covered, for 5-6 minutes or until rhubarb starts to collapse. Transfer to a sieve lined with muslin or a clean Chux cloth set over a bowl. Set aside for 1 hour to drain (do not press rhubarb through sieve).
2.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease base and sides of a 20cm round cake pan and line with baking paper.
3.

Meanwhile, for the gingerbread cake, melt butter and molasses in a saucepan over medium heat. Stand for 10 minutes to cool. Sift flour, bicarb, ginger and cloves into a bowl and stir through sugar.
4.

Stir egg through molasses mixture, then add to flour mixture and stir until combined. Fold through 1/2 cup (125ml) hot water and a pinch of fine sea salt. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5.

Meanwhile, to finish rhubarb wine jelly, add sparkling white wine to drained rhubarb liquid and stand for 5 minutes for bubbles to settle. Soak gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Squeeze excess water from gelatine, then add to a saucepan with 1/4 cup (60ml) rhubarb liquid and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until gelatine has dissolved. Stir through a little pink food colouring, then add hot rhubarb liquid to remaining rhubarb liquid. Pour into a 5L trifle dish or large glass bowl, wiping away any surface bubbles with paper towel. Chill for 2 hours or until firm.
6.

When almost ready to serve, peel reserved rhubarb stalks into ribbons and place in iced water for 10 minutes to curl. Drain and pat dry with paper towel.
7.

Gently whisk cream and sour cream together until just combined.
8.

To assemble trifle, crumble gingerbread cake over jelly, drizzle with ginger wine, if using, and top with cream mixture. Scatter over rhubarb ribbons and freeze-dried raspberries, if using, to serve.