PEACH, WHISKEY & CARAMEL SPICED TRIFLE

Serves: 10 Prep/cooking time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 x 450 g purchased Madeira cakes, cut into 3 cm cubes 2/3 cup whisky 1/3 cup honey

2 T boiling water

5 ripe medium peaches, stones removed and cut into wedges 1 cup dulce de leche (caramelised milk)

1 1/2 cups pecans, roasted and coarsely chopped

Spiced custard cream:

600 ml thickened cream

1 1/2 cups thick vanilla custard 1 1/2 T honey

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp mixed spice

METHOD

1. Arrange cake cubes in the base of a 4,5-litre bowl or dish. Combine whisky, honey and water in a jug. Drizzle 1/3 cup of the whisky mixture over cake. Transfer the remaining whisky mixture to a small saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 12 minutes or until reduced by half and cool.

2. Preheat a char-grill plate or pan over medium-high heat. Grill peaches, cut-sides down, for 2 minutes or until grill marks appear.

3. Transfer to a tray and refrigerate until required.

4. Spiced custard cream: Meanwhile, make spiced custard cream. Beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks form. Reserve half the cream. Fold custard, honey and spices into the remainder of the cream . Cover and refrigerate until required.

5. Arrange half of the peaches over cake. Top with spiced custard cream and reduced whisky mixture. Drop spoonfuls of dulce de leche over custard and reserve some for serving. Sprinkle with 1 cup of pecans and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

6. Swirl the reserved dulce de leche through the reserved whipped cream, and spoon on top of the trifle. Top with the remaining peaches and pecans, and serve.

Dulcedeleche is a caramel available from some delis and supermarkets. To roast pecans, spread on an oven tray. Roast in a 180°C fan oven for 5 minutes or until golden (or stir in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat until fragrant). Use peach or orange juice instead of whisky and bottled peaches instead of fresh, if you prefer. Make trifles up to six hours ahead and refrigerate.