CRANBERRY AND CHOCOLATE TRIFLE TAKES
1 HR 35 MINS SERVES 10
FOR THE CAKE 100g pistachios 200g unsalted butter 200g caster sugar 4 eggs 200g self-raising flour, sifted FOR THE CRANBERRY COMPOTE 400g frozen cranberries, defrosted, keeping some for decoration 12 gelatine sheets FOR THE REST 2tbsp brandy (optional)
300g white chocolate 900g double cream 100g pistachios, lightly crushed
Edible gold spray and mini sparklers (optional) YOU WILL NEED 20cm round cake tin, greased and lined with baking paper 2ltr trifle/serving bowl
1
Heat the oven to 180C/gas 4. To make the cake, blitz the nuts into a fine powder. Add the butter and sugar, and whisk until light and creamy. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the flour. Put into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 mins. When cool cut the cake into 4cm squares.
2
For the compote, put 100g of the cranberries into a large pan and cover with 1.2ltr water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins, then turn off the heat.
3
With a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries and put them in a blender. Blend until smooth then mix them back into the water. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 mins. Squeeze out any excess water then stir into the cranberry mixture and let it stand for 5 mins.
4
To assemble the trifle, line the bottom of the trifle bowl with half of the cake squares. Drizzle over the brandy, if using. Pour half the cranberry mixture over the sponge. Chill for 15 mins to set the jelly.
5
Halve the remaining cranberries and set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, peel curls of white chocolate from 50g of chocolate onto a plate. Chill until needed. Microwave the remaining chocolate in 30-second bursts until smooth.
6
Whip the cream for 2-3 mins until just firm but still smooth. Reserve a quarter of the cream. Stir the melted white chocolate into the larger amount of cream.
7
Sprinkle a third of the crushed nuts over the set jelly, then add half of the halved cranberries and layer over half the white chocolate cream mixture, followed by a cake layer using the remaining cake. Pour over the remaining jelly, then chill for 15 mins.
8
Repeat the layers with half of the remaining pistachios and all the remaining halved cranberries and white chocolate cream. Finish with the reserved whipped cream. Decorate with the extra cranberries, pistachios and white chocolate curls. Spray with edible gold and add the sparklers, if using, and serve.