Espresso martini trifle

Serves 6

Ready in 20 mins, plus cooling and setting

3tbsp double cream

1½tbsp instant coffee granules

250g mascarpone cheese

30g icing sugar, sifted

400g carton fresh vanilla custard

50g dark chocolate (at least 40% cocoa solids)

6 triple chocolate chip muffins, thinly sliced

4tbsp coffee rum liqueur

(or a shot of espresso for an alcohol-free version)

TO DECORATE

300ml double cream, lightly whipped and handful of chocolate-covered coffee beans

1 Pour the cream into a heatproof bowl and warm for 20 secs in a microwave. Stir the coffee granules into the warm cream until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

2 Put the mascarpone in a mixing bowl and add the icing sugar. Pour in the coffee cream and stir to combine fully.

3 Put the vanilla custard and dark chocolate in a saucepan and warm over a low heat. Stir continuously until the chocolate is melted. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.

4 Cover the base of a 25 x 20cm serving dish with a layer of muffin slices. Drizzle over half of the coffee rum liqueur and allow to soak into the muffins. Next, spread over half of the coffee mascarpone and top with half of the chocolate custard. Alternatively, layer the trifle in individual martini glasses. Repeat these layers once more. Chill for 1 hr.

5 Whisk the cream to soft peaks. Top the serving dish or glasses with the whipped cream and decorate with a few chocolate- covered coffee beans.

COOK’S TIP

You could decorate with chocolatedipped strawberries instead. Melt 50g white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of boiling water or in a microwave. Clean 225g strawberries, then dip the bottom half into the melted chocolate to coat and place on the tray lined with baking paper. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins to set.