Name: Neutral Bay berry trifle
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: For brushing: brandy; 250 gm fresh berries, such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, sliced, to serve; Strawberry jam; 250 gm strawberries, hulled, halved (about 1 punnet); 400 gm caster sugar; ½ tsp tartaric acid; Sponge; 5 eggs; 100 gm caster sugar; 150 gm plain flour, sieved; 60 gm butter, melted; Berry jelly; 250 gm each raspberries and strawberries; 100 gm caster sugar; 2 gelatine leaves, titanium strength, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes to soften; Vanilla custard; 250 ml milk (1 cup); 175 gm caster sugar; ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped; 5 egg yolks; 25 gm each plain flour and cornflour

Neutral Bay berry trifle

Gourmet TV with Alex Kearns

Serves 6

Prep

30M

Cook

40M

Total

1H 10M

Ingredients

For brushing: brandy

250 gm fresh berries, such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, sliced, to serve

Strawberry jam

250 gm strawberries, hulled, halved (about 1 punnet)

400 gm caster sugar

½ tsp tartaric acid

Sponge

5 eggs

100 gm caster sugar

150 gm plain flour, sieved

60 gm butter, melted

Berry jelly

250 gm each raspberries and strawberries

100 gm caster sugar

2 gelatine leaves, titanium strength, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes to soften

Vanilla custard

250 ml milk (1 cup)

175 gm caster sugar

½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped

5 egg yolks

25 gm each plain flour and cornflour

Method

Main

1.For strawberry jam, cook strawberries in a saucepan over low heat until slightly soft and juicy (5-10 minutes), add sugar and tartaric acid and stir occasionally until mixture is thick and molten bubbles appear and it registers 107C on a sugar thermometer (5-7 minutes). The jam should still have pieces of transparent berry through it. Keep warm. (If not using immediately, jam will keep in a sterilised jar for 1 year; warm before using.) Makes about 250ml.

2.For sponge, preheat oven to 175C. Whisk eggs and sugar in an electric mixer on high speed until tripled in volume (4-6 minutes), fold in flour, making sure you have no lumps, then fold in melted butter and pour into a 20cm x 24cm deep-sided baking tray lined with baking paper, smoothing top. Bake until cake is golden and springs back when lightly pressed (15-18 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly, then transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap, spread warm jam over and roll to form a log. Secure plastic wrap and stand until sponge is firm and jam is set (1 hour).

3.Meanwhile, for berry jelly, combine berries in a saucepan with sugar and 300ml water, bring to the boil over medium heat, then strain through a fine sieve, pressing on solids to yield 500ml (discard solids). Add squeezed gelatine leaves and transfer to refrigerator until set (2-3 hours).

4.Meanwhile, for vanilla custard, bring milk to the simmer in a saucepan with half the sugar and the vanilla bean and seeds over low-medium heat. Whisk yolks and remaining sugar in an electric mixer until pale. Add flours, whisk to combine. Add milk mixture, then return to saucepan and stir continuously over medium heat until flour is cooked and custard is thick (5-6 minutes). Cover closely with plastic wrap and set aside. Makes 250ml.

5.To assemble trifle, cut sponge into 1cm slices, brush with brandy, place half into the bases of four individual 250ml glasses, or one 1-litre glass bowl. Spoon half the custard over, then half the sliced berries, then half the berry jelly. Repeat the process, then serve.