Ingredients
| SPONGE | |
| 8 eggs | |
| 250g caster sugar | |
| 250g high-grade flour | |
| 100g unsalted butter, melted | |
| WHITE CHOCOLATE CUSTARD | |
| 1 litre cream | |
| 100ml milk | |
| 200g sugar | |
| 1 vanilla bean, split | |
| 160g white chocolate, coarsely chopped | |
| 10 egg yolks | |
| BLACK DORIS PLUM JELLY | |
| 2 x 850g cans Black Doris plums | |
| 200ml port | |
| ¼ cup brown sugar | |
| 6 cloves | |
| 8 allspice | |
| 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half | |
| peel of ½ an orange, cut into strips | |
| 6 leaves gelatine | |
| STEWED RHUBARB | |
| 800g rhubarb, coarsely chopped | |
| ½ cup orange juice | |
| ½ cup sugar | |
| TO ASSEMBLE | |
| 4 tablespoons Black Doris plum or raspberry jam (I used Ruth Pretty’s gorgeous Black Doris jam) | |
| ¾ cup port | |
| reserved Black Doris plums, quartered and stones discarded | |
| 600ml cream, whipped to soft peaks | |
| 150g white chocolate | |
| 150g milk chocolate |
Al now owns Depot, Federal Delicatessan and Best Ugly Bagels.
The custard is actually white chocolate brûlée and I make a slightly spicy jelly with the plum juice and a generous addition of port. The plums and rhubarb balance out the richness perfectly.
Instructions
| 1. | SPONGE |
| 2. | Preheat the oven to 180°C. |
| 3. | Prepare two medium springform cake tins with butter and a dusting of flour. |
| 4. | Break the eggs into the bowl of a cake mixer with the whisk attachment fitted. |
| 5. | Add the sugar and turn on to medium-high speed. |
| 6. | Beat for at least 10 minutes until the mixture is light and airy and forms a thick ribbon. |
| 7. | Scrape out into your largest bowl then sift in the flour and gently but quickly fold through to just combine. |
| 8. | Follow with the melted butter in the same manner. |
| 9. | Pour the batter into the two prepared tins. |
| 10. | Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. |
| 11. | Test the sponge by pressing lightly in the centre; it should gently spring back. |
| 12. | Remove from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on a wire rack. |
| 13. | Keep in an airtight container until required. |
| 14. | WHITE CHOCOLATE CUSTARD |
| 15. | Preheat the oven to 130°C. |
| 16. | Put the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla bean in a saucepan on a medium heat. |
| 17. | Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. |
| 18. | Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. |
| 19. | Remove from the heat and scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean halves into the hot cream and add the white chocolate. |
| 20. | Stir until combined and smooth. |
| 21. | Put the yolks in a large mixing bowl. |
| 22. | Beat continuously with a whisk, and slowly add the hot cream into the yolks until incorporated. |
| 23. | Pour the custard mix into a couple of ovenproof dishes that will fit inside a high-sided roasting pan. |
| 24. | Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes three-quarters of the way up the sides of the custard dishes. |
| 25. | Cover with tin foil and place in the centre of the oven. |
| 26. | Check after 20 minutes and then at 10-minute intervals. |
| 27. | The custard is ready when it is set but still a little “nervous” in the centre. |
| 28. | Remove from the water bath and cool at room temperature before refrigerating until required. |
| 29. | BLACK DORIS PLUM JELLY |
| 30. | Drain the juice of the plums into a bowl and set the plums aside. |
| 31. | Measure out 21⁄2 cups of the plum juice and pour into a saucepan. |
| 32. | Add the port, brown sugar, cloves, allspice, cinnamon stick and orange peel. |
| 33. | Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes. |
| 34. | Strain off the solids and keep the hot liquid. |
| 35. | Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes then, when soft, squeeze out the water and stir the leaves into the hot liquid. |
| 36. | Pour into a suitable dish and refrigerate to set. |
| 37. | STEWED RHUBARB |
| 38. | Place all the ingredients in a heavy based saucepan, place on medium-low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes until nicely stewed. |
| 39. | Remove from the heat and cool then refrigerate until required. |
| 40. | TO ASSEMBLE |
| 41. | Cut the sponge into 3cm-thick strips then line the base of two large trifle bowls with them. |
| 42. | In a bowl, mix the jam and port until combined then brush or pour over the sponge. |
| 43. | Spread the rhubarb over, then the plums, followed by the jelly cut into pieces. |
| 44. | Carefully spread the white chocolate custard over the fruit and jelly then follow with the whipped cream. |
| 45. | Place the trifle in the fridge. |
| 46. | To garnish, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler then pour on to a smooth clean oven tray and spread out thinly with a spatula. |
| 47. | Repeat with the milk chocolate. |
| 48. | Refrigerate both for 10 minutes to set. |
| 49. | Remove and, with a large knife, scrape towards you over the chocolate to create thin rolls of delicate chocolate and sprinkle over the trifle. |
| 50. | To serve, scoop out portions with a large spoon, making sure you dig down to the bottom of the dish so each portion has all the components of pudding. |
Recipe Al Brown / Food styling Ginny Grant / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Fiona Lascelles
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