Impressive but easy, this trifle is a crowd-pleaser. Photo / Fresh Media
Impressive but easy, this trifle is a crowd-pleaser. Photo / Fresh Media
Summer entertaining solved! This spectacular dessert feeds a crowd.
Rich, soft brioche studded with chocolate chips is perfect with berries in this decadent trifle. We’ve provided a recipe for an easy homemade custard but feel free to use a good quality bought thick custard instead.
Make the custard: place the milk, vanilla essence and butter in a saucepan.
Cook on medium heat, stirring gently, until it just reaches a simmer. Don’t allow it to boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Beat the eggs, sugar and cornflour together in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then pour it back into the saucepan and set back on the stove. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat a spoon. This will take 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the custard to a large bowl, cover and set aside to cool.
Cut the brioche loaf into thick slices and spread each slice with jam. Cut the slices into 3cm cubes.
Combine the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla essence and whip to soft peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the cooled custard and set the rest of the whipped cream aside.
Place half of the brioche cubes, jam side up, in the base of a large glass bowl or trifle dish. Sprinkle with half the sherry (if using).
Spoon half of the custard cream mixture over the brioche, then scatter about half of the chocolate chips and prepared fruit over it.
Place the remaining brioche cubes over the top of the fruit, sprinkle with the rest of the sherry and cover with the rest of the custard cream mixture.
Scatter the rest of the chocolate chips over the custard. Set aside some of the fruit to use as decoration, then arrange the rest over the custard. Pile the reserved whipped cream on top and decorate with the remaining fruit.
