Desserts meant for sharing
These irresistible one-pan puds are easy to whip up – and clear up
Black cherry trifle
Serves 10-12
Ready in 30 mins, plus cooling and chilling
285g ready-made Madeira cake
Black cherry jam, for spreading
4tbsp sherry
2tbsp brandy
2 x 390g jars of black cherries in kirsch, or use canned black cherries in syrup (around 450g drained weight)
500g carton of fresh ready-made vanilla custard
300ml double cream
2tbsp pomegranate seeds
Handful of shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
1 Slice the Madeira cake in half horizontally and spread quite generously with the jam. Sandwich back together, slice down vertically into about 1cm-thick slices and then arrange in the bottom of a large trifle bowl. Cut or break some of the slices to roughly fill in the gaps. Pour the sherry and brandy evenly over.
2 Tip the cherries into a sieve set over a small saucepan and drain well, then scatter the cherries over the Madeira cake, followed by 4tbsp of the drained cherry syrup, reserving the rest. Spoon over the custard, covering the fruit completely, then cover and chill for several hrs or ideally overnight.
3 Meanwhile, heat the remaining cherry syrup on a high heat and boil it fast for a few mins until it becomes fairly thick and syrupy, bearing in mind it will thicken more as it cools. Pour into a heatproof jug to cool, then cover and chill until ready to serve.
4 On the day of eating, lightly whip the cream until it forms very soft peaks (under-whip, as it will thicken more as you spread it). Spoon the cream in a mass of little blobs all over the custard, and then carefully join the blobs with a spoon or spatula. Return to the fridge until ready to serve.
5 Just before serving, scatter the trifle with the pomegranate seeds and pistachios and a swirl of the cherry syrup too, if liked. Serve the remaining syrup separately. Serve very cold, straight from the fridge.