I tested out a recipe this weekend for "Sweet Sherry and Spiced Apple Compote Trifle" from the current issue of Dish Magazine. I'd planned to make it for our recent dinner party, however one of our guests couldn't eat anything with gluten so I regrouped and came up with another option for dessert that night.
A "trifle" refers to something inconsequential, although I definitely wouldn't use this word to refer to this dessert, it is quite the opposite!
References to trifles in cookery books date back to the 1600's. They are made by layering custard, sponge cake, fruit, and whipped cream in glass bowls. Most if not all contain alcohol such as sweet sherry, madeira or port, in which the cake (often stale) is soaked.
In this receipe diced apples and pears are cooked until soft with brown sugar, currants, and sherry, then cornflour (corn starch) is added to thicken the mixture. This cools while the custard is made. Layers are placed in the glass bowl starting with custard, cubes of sponge cake sprinkled with sweet sherry, followed by cooked fruit and repeated. The bowl is topped with softly whipped cream and grated nutmeg. This trifle can be eaten warm but keeps for five days in the fridge. Flavours improve with time.
Definitely over the top for John and me. We had a taste, but this is really a dinner party dessert in my book. Not something to be trifled with!
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