Rhubarb Trifle

Syllabub Mix

1 Lemon Rind
110g Sugar
250ml Cider
4tbsp Brandy
4tbsp Bristol Cream Sherry

• Mix Sugar with Cider then stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Rhubarb

• Peel and trim the rhubarb and cut into batons; remember to keep all the trimmings.
• Make 1½ litres of 25% stock syrup for each kg of rhubarb, bring the peel and trim to the boil in the syrup and then leave to cool. Once cold, strain the stock syrup through a chinois; the liquor should be very pink in colour.
• Vacuum pack the rhubarb batons in the stock syrup and store until required.
• Cook the rhubarb in the liquor in a thick bottomed pan, poach to 75ᵒC and then allow to cool in the liquor; the Rhubarb should now take on the colour of the liquor.

Custard

200g Birds Custard Powder
2lt Full Fat Milk
200g Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod

• Mix the Custard Powder and Sugar together with enough of the milk to make a paste.
• Bring the rest of the milk to the boil with the vanilla pod in a thick bottomed pan.
• Pour the boiling milk into the paste, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
• Return to the pan and cook out for at least 5 minutes, stirring continuously until no trace of powder can be tasted.
• Pass, cover with grease proof and chill.

Tea Infusion, Soaked Sponges and Building the Trifles

10g Green Tea                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  195g  Water

• Boil the water and remove from the heat; add the tea and let it infuse for 10 mins, then strain.

50 g Tea Infusion
50g Amontillado Sherry
10g Sugar
1 Teaspoon Lime Juice

• Mix the sugar into the tea whilst still warm and stir until completely dissolved.
• Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
• Submerge each sponge finger individually in the tea infusion for a couple of seconds then lay between sheets of greaseproof paper.
• Store in the fridge until the fingers are soft.
• Once softened, place 2 sponge fingers in the bottom of your serving glass, pushing them right up to the sides to form the first layer. Arrange some rhubarb on top of the sponges to form a second layer equal to the first.
• Blitz the chilled custard in the blender until smooth and pipe on top of the rhubarb, once again keeping the third layer equal in thickness to the first two. Cover with cling film and allow to set in the fridge.

Candied Pistachio Nuts

• Place a thin layer of pistachio nuts in a thick bottomed pan, coat heavily with sifted icing sugar.
• Heat gently stirring all the time until the sugar dissolves; the nuts should be well coated in the sugary caramel, if necessary add more sugar.
• Continue to heat until golden brown then turn out onto greaseproof
• Spread the pistachios out as well as possible to prevent them from sticking together.

Syllabub Cream

30g Syllabub Mix
60g Double Cream
14g Amontillado

• Whisk to soft peaks and spoon on to the top of the trifle. Finish by topping with Amaretto Biscuits, Toasted Flaked Almonds and Caramelised Pistachios.