Recipe: Chocolate Berry Trifle

Recipe by Brad Simpson for Prahran Cooking School, November 2019

Ingredients:

• 1rcpe Chocolate Cake (recipe follows)
• 1rcpe Macerated Berries (recipe follows)
• 1rcpe Vanilla Custard (recipe follows)
• 500g pitted sour cherries, drained
• 1rcpe Cherry Jelly (recipe follows)
• 500ml cream, whipped
• chocolate shavings
• freeze dried berries to serve
• fresh berries to serve
• edible flowers to serve

In your finest trifle vessel, place a layer of cake in the bottom. Drizzle with macerated berries & kirsch. Top with ⅓ each of custard, pitted cherries, diced cherry jelly, whipped cream & chocolate shavings.

Repeat 3 times, ensuring the top layer is cherries, cream & chocolate.

Before serving, decorate with freeze dried & fresh berries, chocolate shavings & edible flowers.

For the Chocolate Cake:

• 2 eggs
• 225g caster sugar
• 1tsp vanilla essence
• 160g mayonnaise
• 185g plain flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 4g baking soda
• 1g baking powder
• 2g sea salt

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Line a shallow slice tin with baking paper. Set aside.

Beat the eggs in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Gradually add the sugar & whisk until light, fluffy & the sugar has all dissolved. Add the vanilla & mayonnaise & combine well. Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda & salt & gently fold to combine.

Scrape the batter into the prepared tin & bake for 10 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

For the Macerated Berries:

• 300g strawberries
• 300g blackberries
• 300g blueberries
• 300g raspberries
• 70ml kirsch
• 150g caster sugar

Combine the berries, kirsch & sugar in a large bowl. Smash together with your hands, wrap & leave in a warm place for approximately 1 hour.

For the Vanilla Custard:

• 6 egg yolks
• 125g caster sugar
• 60g flour
• 2drops vanilla essence
• 500ml milk
• 15g butter

Cream the egg yolks, vanilla & sugar together until thick & pale. Add the sifted flour & mix to a smooth paste.

In a small pot, bring the milk to the boil. Add ½ of the milk to the egg mixture & whisk vigorously until smooth. Whisk in the remaining milk.

Return the mix to a clean pan & bring to the boil to thicken. Make sure you whisk continuously until thick. Once thick transfer to a bowl, stir in the butter until smooth & cool down over an ice bath.

For the Cherry Jelly:

• 500ml cherry puree
• 2tsp agar agar

Bring puree up to the boil. Rain in the agar agar & whisk to combine & dissolve.

Pour into a rectangular vessel & refrigerate until set.