Alexandrina Something Local Trifle
Alexandrina Christmas eCookbook
Our Alexandrina Something Local Trifle is as beautiful as it is indulgent. Starting with poached pears, we add a Almond Crunch Sponge, another layer of soaked pears, followed by a layer of each jelly and custard, and finished with a quenelle of Alexandrina Pure Jersey Cream, and a dried Pear on top. Our Trifle is going to be difficult to beat this Christmas, and it always reminds us of our older generation, who taught us that just like dessert, life is in layers. Eating trifle for dessert is a good reminder to live life, to the fullest.
ALEXANDRINA SOMETHING LOCAL TRIFLE
Groundwork
on the day, you will need to allow approx. 90 minutes, preparation time, total cooking time 25 min for the sponge.
makes 6 individual serves
Elements
1 packet of jelly – lemon or lime
To make the Poached Pears
6 pears, peeled, cored, halved
120 ml hot water
120 ml Bremerton Ciel Fortified Verdehlo
To make the custard layer
500 ml Alexandrina Full Cream Pure Jersey Milk
zest of a lemon
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon custard powder
2 eggs
To make the Almond Crunch Sponge Cake
3/4 cup Alexandrina Yoghurt
3/4 cup Alexandrina Creme Fraiche
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
2/3 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons slivered almonds (for the top of the cake)
For assembling
120 ml Bremerton Ciel Fortified Verdehlo
For serving
300 ml Alexandrina Pure Jersey Cream
6 pieces of dried pear (we often use Roy Farms preservative free dried pears)
Technique
To make the jelly layer, do this one day in advance (follow instructions on packet)
1 packet of jelly – lemon or lime, refrigerate jelly until ready to assemble
To make the poached pears
put hot water and fortified verdehlo into a saucepan on a low heat
place the peeled, cored and halved pears into the liquid, poach for 20 minutes on low
Check every 4-5 minutes to ensure pears are not sticking to the base of the pan
cover with a lid, and allow to cool
if making this in advance you can prepare a plastic tub, and keep in the refrigerator until you need to assemble
To make the custard layer
in a saucepan mix together the zest of a lemon, sugar, custard powder, eggs and a little dash of milk
then add the remainder of the milk and simmer on a low heat, stirring continuously until thick and viscous
if making this in advance you can prepare a jug, and keep the custard in the refrigerator until you need to assemble
a skin may form on the custard, but just remove before serving or whisk this into the mixture
To make the sponge cake
Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade
In an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites, until frothy. After this you need to add yoghurt, creme fraiche, sugar, plain flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract to the bowl, and gently combine
after the mixture is combined pour into a pre greased rectangular cake pan 22cm x 33cm
then sprinkle the slivered almonds on to the top of the cake, bake the cake for 20 minutes
once baked, cool on a rack, once cooled, you can then portion the cake
we suggest that the cake can be posted into 5cm circles and 7cm circles (we use 2 different scone cutters)
or you can make incisions with a knife, making rectangles or squares shapes
you don’t need to be too precise, as the cake is used in the layering of the trifle, and any imperfections are hidden by jelly and custard
if making this trifle in advance you can prepare a plastic tub, and keep in the sponge cake in the refrigerator until you need to assemble
For assembling
120 ml Bremerton Ciel Fortified Verdehlo
For serving
300ml Alexandrina Pure Jersey Cream
To assemble one (repeat for the remaining other goblets)
place poached pear into a glass or goblet, then drizzle a little fortified verdehlo (10ml) into the bottom of the goblet
place one 5cm circle into the bottom of the goblet, then drizzle a little more fortified verdehlo (10ml) onto the sponge cake
spoon on 3 tablespoons of jelly on top of the sponge cake
place another 7cm circles on top the bottom of the jelly later
spoon on 3 tablespoons of custard, and repeat until you have completed six goblets/glasses
keep trifle in the refrigerator until you need to serve to your guests
just before serving place 2 tablespoons of Alexandrina Pure Jersey Cream on top of the custard
place a garnish of a dried pear on top
Calcium Hero of the Dish | Alexandrina Pure Jersey Cream
Alexandrina's Pure Jersey Cream is the kind of cream where you can stand your spoon straight up in the pot, and it is best served straight onto a homemade dessert. This product is completely free of any preservatives, it is simply a fresh double cream. 51.6 % minimum fat | available in 300 ml tub. Champion Cream Winner of the 2004 Australian Grand Dairy Awards.
Looking for Alexandrina Products? | To find a list of our supportive South Australian stockists visit https://alexandrinacheese.com.au/pages/stockists
Looking for Ground Almonds? | We source our almonds from Taronga Almonds, delicious locally grown almonds from the stunning Fleurieu Peninsula region of South Australia.
Top Tip | If you have home preserved pears or even canned pears, you may like to substitute the poached pears, and consider keeping the juice to infuse the pears with fortified liquor.
Foodie Fact | Trifle must bestored in the refrigerator. One little hint, clear the top shelf of your refrigerator before you start making this recipe. A pre-Christmas clean of the refrigerator will hold you in good stead for the whole month of December!!
Find more Alexandrina recipes on our blog | Curds & Whey https://alexandrinacheese.com.au/blogs/curds-whey
#christmasiscomplete#withalexandrinacheese
#alexandrinacheeseclub#somethinglocaltrifle
put hot water and fortified verdehlo into a saucepan on a low heat, place the peeled, cored and halved pears into the liquid, poach for 20 minutes on low
Check every 4-5 minutes to ensure pears are not sticking to the base of the pan
cover with a lid, and allow to cool, if making this in advance you can prepare a plastic tub, and keep in the refrigerator until you need to assemble
then sprinkle the slivered almonds on to the top of the cake, bake the cake for 20 minutes
once baked, cool on a rack, once cooled, you can then portion the cake
once baked, cool on a rack, once cooled, you can then portion the cake
we suggest that the cake can be posted into 5cm circles and 7cm circles (we use 2 different Bisk-Art scone cutters)
place poached pear into a glass or goblet, then drizzle a little fortified verdehlo (10ml) into the bottom of the goblet
place one 5cm circle into the bottom of the goblet, then drizzle a little more fortified verdehlo (10ml) onto the sponge cake
Layer upon layer...
Ta da! It's complete.
Beware to overfill the goblet, like we did!
It's probably wise to do a practice run of this dessert mid way through December, let the family taste it.
Also if you wanted a critique of the almond crunch sponge cake, it's definitely a little dense compared to a normal sponge, but honestly it soaks up the pears, fortified liquor beautifully.