Cherry trifle with homemade custard

Prepare
less than 30 mins
Cook
10 to 30 mins
Serve
Serves 2

This classic cherry trifle layers Madeira sponge with poached cherries, lemon verbena custard and a light crème fraîche cream. You’ll need a serving bowl, a sieve and a saucepan.

By Matt Tebbutt

From Saturday Kitchen

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Ingredients

For the cherries

For the custard

For the cream

To assemble and garnish

  • 50ml/2fl oz cherry liquor
  • 1 Madeira sponge, cut into 5cm fingers
  • 1 tbsp toasted almonds
  • poached cherries, reserved from above

Method

  1. To make the cherries, put the rosé wine, caster sugar and vanilla pod in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the cherries and poach gently for 10 minutes, until softened and juicy.

  2. Strain the cherries through a sieve set over a bowl, reserving the cherries and poaching liquid. Return the liquid to the saucepan and simmer until reduced to taste. Mix the cornflour with just enough cold water to make a smooth paste, then whisk it into the simmering liquid. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Leave the cherries and syrup to cool.

  3. To make the custard, put the milk, cream and lemon verbena in a saucepan and heat gently until hot. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain into a clean saucepan and bring back to the boil.

  4. Whisk the egg yolks, soft brown sugar and cornflour in a heatproof bowl. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture over the eggs, whisking all the time. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring all the time, until thickened. Strain into a bowl and leave to cool.

  5. To make the cream, whisk the double cream and icing sugar until thickened, then fold in the crème fraîche.

  6. To assemble, put the Madeira sponge fingers in the base of a serving bowl. Spoon some of the cherry liquor over the sponge, then top with the poached cherries. Spoon over the cooled custard, then top with the cream.

  7. Garnish with the reserved poached cherries and toasted almonds.