Tag Archives: Hestons Christmas Trifle

Christmas Trifle 2016


QUINCE, PECAN AND CRÈME CARAMEL TRIFLE

I was going to give Heston’s Trifle recipe a go but I left it a little bit too late and ran out of time to gather ingredients. I then went on a big recipe hunt and thought which Australian Chefs do I know that make desserts really well. The first that came to mind was Chef Peter Gilmore. I had learnt from last year to make sure to use ingredients that were in season and I think I got lucky as my little brother found the figs that were just coming into season in one of 8 supermarkets that we looked! So here is the recipe for Peter Gilmore’s Quince, Pecan and Crème Caramel Trifle with Honey Cream.

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INGREDIENTS

– 50g White Chocolate, cut into 4 pieces

– 150g (1 ¼ Cups) Pecans

– 50g Currants, Soaked in 150ml Pedro Ximénez Overnight

CRÈME CARAMEL

– Grapeseed Oil, for Brushing

– 380g (2/3 Cup) Caster Sugar

– 180g Egg Yolks (About 10 Yolks)

– 2 Eggs

– 1L (4 Cups) Milk

POACHED QUINCE JELLY

– 150g Caster Sugar

– 1 Vanilla Bean, Split, Seeds Scraped

– 200g  Quince Paste

– 3 Titanium-Strength Gelatine Leaves, Softened in Cold Water for 3 minutes

SPONGE CAKE

– 150g (2/3 Cup) Caster Sugar

– 6 Eggs

– 150g (1 Cup) Plain Flour, Sieved

HONEY CREAM

– 375 ml (1½ Cups) Pouring Cream

– 1½tbsp Honey

METHOD

1. For crème caramel, preheat your oven to 160ºC and lightly oil eight 220ml ramekins. Stir the 200gm of sugar with 100ml water in a saucepan over a medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved, then cook without stirring until it becomes a dark golden colour (6-8 minutes).

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Caramel

2. Pour enough caramel into each mould to just cover the base and stand until set (10-15 minutes). Whisk the yolks, eggs, and remaining sugar in a bowl until the mixture is just pale in colour (1-2 minutes). Meanwhile you want to bring the milk close to the boiling in a saucepan over medium-high heat and whilst whisking, pour the milk onto eggs and sugar and whisk to combine.

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Caramel

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Custard Mixture

3. Strain mixture through a fine sieve and into a jug. Place moulds in a deep roasting pan lined with a tea towel (this prevents the moulds from sliding). Divide the custard evenly among moulds, then fill pan with hot water to come halfway up the sides of moulds. Cover with foil and bake until caramels are set and barely wobble in the centre when gently shaken (40 minutes to 1 hour). Remove from oven and leave in the water bath to cool for 10 minutes. Refrigerate overnight to chill. Dip moulds in hot water, then turn out and cut each into quarters.

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4. For poached quince jelly, whisk the sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, 500ml water and the quince paste in a flameproof casserole and bring to a simmer. Stir until sugar and quince paste has dissolved. Cover and refrigerate until required. Bring 300ml of the mixture (discard remainder) and 100ml water to the boil in a saucepan, squeeze excess water from gelatine and, off the heat, stir into quince mixture until dissolved. Strain syrup into a 500ml container and refrigerate until set (2-3 hours).

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Currents and Pedro

5. Meanwhile, for sponge cake, preheat oven to 160C and line a 10cm-deep, 23cm-square cake tin with baking paper. Whisk the sugar and eggs in an electric mixer until thick and pale with a fine, firm foam (8-9 minutes). Sift in flour and fold to combine, then pour into prepared tin, spreading evenly. Bake until a skewer inserted withdraws with dry crumbs (20-25 minutes). Turn sponge out onto a rack to cool (20-30 minutes). Cake is best made on the day, but can be made a day ahead and wrapped in plastic wrap to keep fresh

6. Increase oven to 170C. Bake white chocolate pieces on an oven tray lined with baking or a silicone oven tray until chocolate is light caramel in colour (6-8 minutes). Cool completely, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate until required.

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White Chocolate

7. Roast pecans on an oven tray until crisp (7-8 minutes). Set aside to cool, then break with your hands, leaving some whole to decorate the top.

8. For honey cream, whisk cream and honey in a bowl until soft peaks form.

9. Cut or tear the sponge and the jelly into 5cm pieces. To assemble the trifle, layer a 5-litre trifle bowl with half of the following: pieces of sponge, currants and soaking liquid, quince jelly, crème caramel, crumbled pecans and honey cream. Repeat with remaining ingredients, then cover trifle and refrigerate to chill and set (2-3 hours).

10. To serve, coarsely grate caramelised white chocolate over the top and garnish with pecans

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Peter Gilmore’s Trifle

Peter Gilmore’s Quince, Pecan and Crème Caramel Trifle with Honey Creme

Christmas Trifle 2015


FIG, PORT AND PISTACHIO TRIFLE

I found this recipe in June and waited six whole months to make this epic trifle. It was in the June issue of Delicious Magazine and the recipe is by one of my favourite Australian Chefs Mr Guillaume Brahimi. It was fun to make as I got to eat along the way making this dish. The only problem I had was trying to find figs towards the end of December. I went in to eight fresh produce stores as well as supermarkets but in the end my little brother managed to find some in one of the big supermarket chains here in Perth. You can however use whatever seasonal fruit you wish but I wanted to make the original! It was a big hit with everyone at our Christmas lunch especially my fiancée 😀

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INGREDIENTS

– 10 Figs, Quartered

– 50g Pistachios, Roughly Chopped

PISTACHIO GATEAUX

– 250g Softened Unsalted Butter, Chopped

– 200g Caster Sugar

– 1 Vanilla Bean, Split, Seeds Scraped

– 200g Marzipan, Chopped (I Made My Own)

– 4 Eggs

– 250g Pistachios, Finely Ground

– 75g Almond Meal

– 1/4 Cup (60ml) Kirsch (Cherry Liqueur)

PORT JELLY

– 3 Cups (750ml) Port

– 2½ Tbsp Caster Sugar

– 3 Gold-Strength Gelatin Leaves

CRÈME PATISSIÈRE

– 400ml Milk

– 200ml Pure (Thin) Cream

– 3 Vanilla Beans, Split, Seeds Scraped

– 4 Egg Yolks

– ¼ Cup (55g) Caster Sugar

– 1½ Tbsp Cornflour

– 1½ Tsp Orange Blossom Water

– 600ml Thickened Cream

METHOD

1. Begin this recipe a day ahead. The pistachio gateaux will need to rest in the fridge overnight. 2. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Then grease and line two 25cm spring-form cake pans with baking paper.

3. For the pistachio gateaux, place the butter, sugar and vanilla seeds in the bowl of an electric mixer with a fitted paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 6 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick and pale. Add the marzipan and beat for 5 minutes or until well combined.

Marzipan
Gateaux Ingredients

Add the eggs, 1 at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition. Next add the ground pistachios, almond meal and a pinch of salt. While the mixer is still running, drizzle in the kirsch and beat for 30 seconds or until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 35 minutes,  or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Make sure you rotate the pans halfway through cooking. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight to chill.

One Egg At A Time
Almond Meal In
Pistachios in

4. For the jelly, pour the port into a pan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until port has reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir through the sugar until fully dissolved. Soak the gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Squeeze excess water from the gelatin, add to port mixture and stir until completely dissolved. Cool slightly then pour into your trifle bowl and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight to set.

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Port Jelly

5. For the crème patissière, combine the milk, cream, vanilla pods and seeds in a saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to just below boiling point. Next whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together in a large bowl for 4 minutes or until smooth and pale. Carefully add the milk mixture to the yolk mixture and whisk to combine.

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Pistachio

Transfer to a clean saucepan and place over medium heat. Whilst whisking constantly, cook the mixture for 6 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a bowl and remove the vanilla pods. Cool slightly, then cover surface with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour to chill. Next add the orange blossom water and whisk to combine. Whisk the thickened cream to stiff peaks, then gently fold into crème patissière.

Before
After

6. To assemble, trim 1 gateau to fit and place over the jelly. Spread with half of the crème patissière. Repeat with remaining gateau and the crème patissière. Chill for 1 hour to set. Pile the figs on top of the trifle and scatter with pistachios to serve (I roasted mine but you can do what ever you want). Enjoy!

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The boys down at Mane Liquor recommend enjoying an Eagle Bay/Mane Liquor Co-lab Black and Tannin (If you haven’t yet tried this beer on its own do yourself a favor) with this epic trifle.