zoom

    Save to your scrapbook

    Apricot Trifle

    This will be saved to your scrapbook

    You can also add it to one of your existing cookbooks

    *mandatory

    Apricot Trifle

    This is adapted from a cutting from The Independent of about 15 years ago. I love a trifle made with just one fruit; it’s such a celebration of a particular flavour. Bought custard will do, but ensure it’s a good one.

    • Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus overnight chilling
    • Cooking time: 30 minutes, plus infusing
    • Total time: 1 hour 60 minutes

    Serves: 8

    Ingredients

    • Custard
    • 1 Vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
    • 284ml Double cream
    • 200ml Milk
    • 6 Egg yolks
    • 125g Caster sugar
    • 240g Caster sugar
    • 2 Lemons, juice and 2 strips of peel
    • 14 Apricots, halved, stoned
    • 8 Amaretti biscuits
    • 16 Sponge fingers
    • 8 tbsp Apricot brandy
    • 5 tbsp Apricot jam, at room temperature
    • 40g Flaked toasted almonds
    • 400ml Whipping cream
    • 1 tbsp Crystallised violets

    Method

    1. A day in advance, heat 500ml water with 200g sugar, the juice of 1 lemon and the peel. Add the apricots – poach until they are tender but still holding their shape. Set them aside with the peel; reduce the syrup by two-thirds over a high heat and set aside.
    2. Crumble the amaretti into a glass bowl, then lay the sponge fingers over. Spoon on 6 tbsp brandy and about 200ml poaching liquor. Spread over the jam, half the almonds and the apricots. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
    3. For the custard, put the vanilla pod and seeds in a heavy-based pan with the cream and milk; heat until almost boiling. Allow to cool and infuse for 20 minutes, then remove the pod. Beat the yolks and sugar and drizzle on the milk mixture while stirring. Put over a low heat and stir until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Don’t let it boil. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool.
    4. Spoon the custard over the apricots in the bowl, cover and put back in the fridge for 15 minutes. Put the remaining lemon juice in a bowl with 40g caster sugar. Slowly pour in the whipping cream and whisk until it holds its shape, gradually adding 2 tbsp brandy. Spoon the cream over the trifle; scatter the remaining almonds on top. Add the crystallised violets just before serving.

    Your recipe note

    Edit your recipe note

    Drinks recommendation

    The fruit flavours here will
    balance the trifle’s brandy. Waitrose
    Sauternes, Château Suduiraut 2005
    Bordeaux, France. Bin 642288; £9.99.

    Comments

    Average user rating

    5 stars