Tag Archives: home baking

Truly Scrumptious Trifle

DSCI1211 “You’re truly, truly scrumptious…it’s no coincidence that you’re truly, truly scrumptious!”

And as the classic all-time favourite movie is airing, the one and only, majestic Ian Fleming’s  Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, we’re celebrating all that’s delicious, delightful and deliriously decadent with our Truly Scrumptious Trifle! One for festive frolics and a super indulgent pudding for Christmas time and special occasions.

Ingredients

Serves 6 – 8

For the awesome base:

4 trifle sponges

A little raspberry, strawberry or blackberry jam

250g frozen mixed berries, defrosted

2 bananas

150ml sherry or Madeira

For the dreamy custard:

3 large egg yolks

50g castor sugar

1 tsp of cornflour

275ml of whipping or double cream

1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp of vanilla essence

For the fluffy topping:

325ml of whipping or double cream

50g flaked almonds, toasted

Dawn: This is one of my all-time favourites that makes me really think it’s Christmas! 

Andrew: The ingredients alone are very decadent…how do we start?

Method

  • Taking the trifle sponges, cut each in half, lengthways and spread one side of each with the jam preserve of your choice. Position in the base of a large glass bowl and prick the top of each sponge with a fork.
  • Pour the sherry or Madeira over the sponges, making sure each is covered in the golden looking liquid. Set aside in the fridge while you make the custard to allow the trifle sponges to absorb the liquor. You may wish to prepare these the night before you use to serve the trifle, if you wish.

Dawn: While we’re waiting for the sponges to do their job, we’ll start to make real custard. A wonderful treat and tastes like pure silk on the tongue. So here’s how we start: 

  • Put the egg yolks, cornflour and castor sugar in a bowl and mix together until they are combined to become a bright, yellow jewel.
  • Put the custard whipping or double cream in a saucepan adding either the vanilla pod which is first cut its length and the seeds scraped out along with the outer pod put into the cream, too or add the tsp of vanilla essence.
  • Gently heat the cream and vanilla mixture on a hob until hot then add to the egg mixture, stirring as you do to combine the ingredients.
  • Now pour the custard ingredients back into the saucepan that you’ve used for heating up the cream and return to the hob.
  • Heat gently, stirring constantly.

Dawn: You must stir the mixture constantly to avoid any lumps forming if it’s left alone. 

  • The custard will start to thicken and when it does, take the saucepan off the hob, remove the vanilla pod if you’re used one and set the custard aside to allow it to go completely cold.
  • Remove the trifle sponges from the fridge which will have absorbed the liquor by now.
  • Peel the bananas, slice and scatter across the trifle sponges. Add the defrosted mixed berries, too.

Andrew: Can I use fresh fruit, Dawn? 

Dawn: Yes, Andrew. I’d look at using any ripe soft berries such as strawberries, raspberries and/or blackberries. If you have them, you can also add red and blackcurrants. 

Andrew: Mmm…fruit! Now what? 

  • With the cream set aside for the fluffy topping, whisk it to a thick consistency with an electric hand mix.

Dawn: You’ll know the cream is ready when you can make upright peeks in it. 

  • Make sure the custard is cold and pour this over the trifle sponges and berries base.
  • Next, scoop out all the delicious, fluffy cream topping and make sure all the custard is covered.
  • Finish the trifle off by scattering the toasted flaked almonds all over the fluffy topping.

Dawn: And hey, presto! Truly Scrumptious Trifle! My favourite!

Andrew: It looks too wonderful to tuck into! Did I tell you a man was found in a doorway covered in sponge, fruit, custard and cream! Police are warning that his attackers are not to be trifled with!

Dawn: Hilarious, I’m sure!

Andrew: It is! Do carry on!

Dawn: Carrying on…it’s a really lovely treat recipe and one I make once, possibly twice a year because it’s so high in sugar! But every mouthwateringly delicious bite is to be savoured and it really, really is Truly Scrumptious!

For more delicious delicacies, follow the Cooking Duo’s tips and recipes on this blog and at Twitter @Love_Food_UK.

Moreish Mince Pies

DSCI1049The easiest mince pies to make! And so inexpensive, too!

Ingredients

Makes 18 mince pies

500g (1 block) of ready made puff pastry, defrosted

1 egg, beaten

1 jar of mincemeat

A little flour (any kind)

A little granulated sugar

Method

  • Preheat the oven to gas mark 4, 180 °C electric.
  • Place the puff pastry on a work surface and cut into two equal portions. Set aside the one half and with a sprinkling of flour, dust the work surface and a rolling pin. Roll out the puff pastry to a large rectangle, about 2mm in thickness.
  • With a wide rim glass or mug, use it to cut out the bases of the mince pies.

Dawn: I managed to make 12 and then pushed all the leftovers into one ball of pastry to make the remaining 6 bases. 

Andrew: Sounds very economical to make, Dawn.

Dawn: They are: I reckon that the ingredients have cost about £2! That’s just over 11p each! Anyway, on with the recipe!

  • With the leftover pastry, form a ball and roll out again. Cut out as many bases as possible using the wide rim glass or mug. Keep doing this until there’s not enough pastry left to make another base.
  • With the other half of the puff pastry, do exactly the same thing: roll out with a dusting of flour on a work surface and make an equal number of tops to match the bases. Set these aside in the fridge while you work on the bases.

Dawn: I rolled each of the two portions of left over pastry out twice to get a further 6 bases and they worked: taste and texture of puffiness is great. I let these extra 6 bases ‘rest’ in the fridge for 25 minutes before baking them. 

  • Place the pastry bases on a non-stick baking tray or trays, depending on the size you are using.
  • Put about 2/3rd of a tablespoon of mincemeat in the centre of each base.
  • With a food brush, brush the edge of each pie base with a little of the beaten egg.

Andrew: This acts as ‘glue’ to stick the base and top together.

Dawn: Exactly right, Andrew. 

  • Now, take the pie tops from the fridge and place one on top of each base which has mincemeat on.
  • Press down around the edges on each so they are bound together.
  • Make a small cut in each pie top.
  • Brush each pie top with a little of the beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar and place in the centre of the oven for 20-15 minutes until the pies have turned a golden brown colour.

Dawn: And that, fellow foodies, is that!

Andrew: So very easy and quick to make! It’s what this food blog is all about! 

For more easy to make recipes, follow this blog and our Twitter account @Love_Food_UK.