4 December 2011

STRAWBERRY TRIFLE

• 3 punnets strawberries
• 3 tbsps sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 block sponge cake cut into thin fingers
• 3 tbsps Grand Marnier
• 300mls cream
• 6 egg yolks
• 160g sugar
• 600 mls milk
• 1 vanilla bean

Pick over the berries, keeping about 12 for the top. Place the rest in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons sugar and the water. Slowly bring these strawberries to a gentle simmer and cook for about two minutes. Place the pieces of sponge in the bottom of a clear glass dessert bowl. Add the Grand Marnier, soaking it into the sponge. Ladle in the strawberries and all their juices. To make the custard, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until light and thick. Heat the milk with the vanilla bean in a heavy-based saucepan until it almost comes to the boil. Tip the hot milk on to the egg mixture in a bowl and stir well to combine. Rinse the pan that the milk was heated in, return it to the heat and strain the egg, sugar and milk mixture into the pan. Carefully reheat the custard, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens coats the spoon. It’s important not to let this boil as the mixture will curdle. If it even starts to curdle around the edges, remove it immediately from the heat and whisk vigorously until it is smooth again. When the custard is cool, tip this over the strawberries to form a custard layer. Finally, whip the cream lightly and cover the top of the custard. Place halved strawberries on top to decorate. Chill before serving. Serves 8-10 Wine match; demi-sec Champagne Recipe Lauraine Jacobs Pic by Elizabeth Clarkson