Sparkling gems
CHEERS TO ADDING A LITTLE FIZZ TO YOUR REGULAR TABLE SPREAD CHAMPAGNE TRIFLE WITH BERRY CURD AND CREAM
SERVES 10 INGREDIENTS
• 250g caster sugar
• 4 titanium-strength gelatine leaves
• 1 cup (250ml) Champagne or Australian sparkling wine
• 20 store-bought profiteroles
• ⅔ cup (220g) raspberry jam
• 400ml thickened cream
• 200ml creme fraiche
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup (120g) pure icing sugar, sifted
• 125g raspberries
• Freeze-dried raspberries, to decorate
Strawberry Curd
• 250g strawberries, hulled, pureed
• 2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
• ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
• 75g unsalted butter, chopped
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 titanium-strength gelatine leaves
• Pink food colouring
METHOD
1 To make the Champagne jelly, place sugar and 375ml water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Bring sugar syrup to a simmer, squeeze excess water from gelatine and add to syrup, stirring to dissolve. Cool completely, then add Champagne. Pour into 2.5L trifle dish and chill overnight or until jelly is firm and set.
2 For the strawberry curd, strain puree through a sieve into a heatproof bowl to remove seeds. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl except gelatine and food colouring and set bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water).
Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until strawberry mixture coats back of a spoon.
3 Meanwhile, soak gelatine in cold water for 4-5 minutes to soften. Squeeze out excess water and add to hot curd, stirring to dissolve. Strain through a fine sieve and beat in a little food colouring. Set bowl aside to cool to room temperature, then cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Chill until very thick (about 3 hours).
4 When ready to assemble trifle, fill profiteroles with raspberry jam. Whisk 200ml cream, creme fraiche, vanilla and icing sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks. Add raspberries and whisk until cream has formed stiff peaks and raspberries are lightly crushed. Layer half the profiteroles over the jelly. Whisk the curd with remaining 200ml cream until smooth, then spoon over top. Add a second layer of profiteroles, then finish with a layer of cream mixture. Decorate with freeze-dried raspberries.