Let me start by saying just how much I hate traditional trifle.
I won't bore you with the details. I'm guessing you probably loathe the stuff too.
Soggy, sherry soaked biscuits smothered in overly sweet, fake tasting jelly topped with crappy custard and watery cream.
I think it's only fair we give the old goat a make-over just in time for the weekend.
What do you think?
Sure, it's got custard, a fruit element, hits of booze and it's smothered with cream, but this is a new take on an old classic with a really nice twist.
I've whipped them up for countless dinner parties over the years and I think I've finally got the recipe down to a T
...rifle. Sorry.
To make a pud big enough for 6-8 guests, you're going to need:
2 packs of Lady Fingers (also known as savoiardi biscuits)
5 tablespoons dark rum
5 tablespoons good quality maple syrup
2 tins Carnation Caramel
1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt flakes
4 ripe bananas
Bird's instant custard powder. I'd definitely recommend this over ready made custards. As tempting as they might be, they don't set well and make the trifle very liquidy (technical term). Otherwise, feel free to make your own from scratch if you're that way inclined!
300g double cream
100g walnuts
40g golden caster sugar
1 tablespoon butter
A chunk of dark chocolate, grated for decoration
Firstly, get your custard on the go. Whip it up according to the packet instructions, adding milk and heating on the hob without over stirring as you go.
When it's ready, pop it in the fridge to cool it's jiggly little self down.
Boring bit done, grab the rest of your ingredients.
Stir together your syrup and rum. One by one, dunk your biscuits in the bowl for a couple of seconds on each side, you don't want them soggy, just nicely coated.
Lay them out in a large trifle bowl in one flat layer, squishing them down as you go.
Pour over any leftover liquid and slice up your bananas in long, diagonal slithers.
In a bowl, combine with the salt and stir. Have a taste and see what you think. Too much will ruin the flavour, you just want little hits of saltiness dotted about here and there.
Once you're salt-isfied, glug your sweet, salty gloop over the bananas and spread!
Coooor, look at those layers! Makes you want to lick the screen doesn't it.
Go ahead, nobody's watching, I won't judge you, I'm an avid screen licker in private too but that's just between us.
Go fetch your cooled custard from the fridge and spread it out over the caramel.
You should have something that looks a little bit like this:
Pop everything back in the fridge and whilst your layers are getting well acquainted, turn the oven up to 200.
Place your walnuts in a baking tray and leave them to toast for ten minutes. Meanwhile, make your toffee candy coating.
This bit requires a beady little eye and a stroke of luck.
Too hot and your toffee will burn. Too cold and your toffee falls flat. On a low heat, slowly simmer the 90ml water with the sugar until it completely dissolves. Don't be tempted to stir it at this point, just be on the lookout, scout.
Add the butter, a pinch of salt and turn up the heat. You want your toffee thick and brown, so after a few minutes of boiling away, it should be ready.
Turn off the heat and grab yo' nuts!
Pour them into the toffee and stir well. Once they're good and coated, lay them out on a sheet of baking paper until you're ready to serve.
The trifle needs an hour or so to chill, but depending on dinner deadlines you can keep it there for as long as you wish. I sometimes even leave mine overnight if I'm being an organised little cook and it comes out just fine.
Either way, whip your cream just before serving up and spread over the chilly trifle.
Top with your crunchy, candied walnuts.
And finely grate over a little chunk of dark chocolate to finish things off.
Take your pud to the table and prepare for some top button popping "oooohs!" and "ahhhhhs!" from your dinner guests.
If they weren't already madly in love with you, you've just bagged yourself some brand new admirers.
