FESTIVE RECIPES

The Hairy Bikers share their most mouthwatering dishes for your Christmas table, including this indulgent Black Forest Trifle

Chocolate custard, cake and booze. What’s not to like? This is a showstopper and should be greeted with hearty cheers when you bring it to the table.

Serves 8

For the chocolate custard

100g (3½oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces

300ml (10fl oz) whole milk

300ml (10fl oz) double cream

1 vanilla pod, split

6 egg yolks

100g (3½oz) caster sugar

2tbsp cocoa powder

1tbsp cornflour

For the trifle

500g (1lb 2oz) chocolate cake or brownies 50g (1¾oz) black cherry or morello cherry jam

100ml (3½fl oz) kirsch or cherry brandy 300g (10½oz) pitted black cherries

200g (7oz) amaretti biscuits

500ml (18fl oz) double cream

Chocolate curls and whole black cherries, to decorate

First make the custard, as it needs time to chill. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. The base of the bowl shouldn’t touch the water. Allow the chocolate to melt, then remove the bowl from the pan and leave the chocolate to cool. Put the milk and cream into a pan with the vanilla pod and bring to just below boiling point. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse and cool slightly. Put the egg yolks, caster sugar, cocoa powder and cornflour into a bowl. Whisk until the mixture is very well aerated, pale and stiff enough that it keeps its shape when you trail the beaters through it.

Remove the vanilla pod from the milk mixture. Pour the milk and cream over the egg mixture, stirring as you go, then fold the melted chocolate in. Mix, then rinse out the saucepan and pour the custard back in. Cook, stirring, for 10-20 minutes until the custard has the consistency of thick double cream – don’t let it boil. Transfer to a jug and cover with clingfilm. When cool, refrigerate.

Cut the cake or brownies into thin slices and spread with jam. Sandwich the slices together and arrange in the bottom of a large trifle bowl. Pour the kirsch or cherry brandy over, then sprinkle cherries over. Add a layer of amaretti biscuits, then pour the custard over in a thick, even layer. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate until almost ready to serve. Whisk the double cream in a bowl until it forms soft peaks, then smooth this over the custard. Decorate with chocolate curls and black cherries.