⛄❄Rhubarb, Custard & Gingerbread Trifles
Individual Rhubarb, Custard & Gingerbread Trifles are the ultimate winter indulgence. Stunning layers of textures & flavours, all to yourself!You’ll need to start at least a day ahead to give the jelly a chance to setMinimum prep time assumes you are making the rhubarb compote and jelly. More time will be needed if baking your own ginger cake and gingerbread biscuits and/or pastry cream. It also includes the time taken to layer the components in twelve glasses, including whipping the cream.
Servings: 12
Equipment
- 12 small water glasses, with a capacity of around 160ml OR one large trifle bowl approx. 2L capacity
- Ovenproof dish – large enough to take the trimmed and chopped rhubarb one layer deep
Ingredients
Rhubarb Compote & Jelly
- Approx. 1 Kg fresh rhubarb trimmed weight – 10-15 stalks, depending on their thickness
- 250 g caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons gelatine powder
- 2 Tablespoons cold water
Ginger Cake - ready-made or make your own.
60ml Orange Juice or fruit-flavoured liquor - such as Chambord or Cointreau (note)
500-600ml Pastry Cream - ready made or make your own
Whipped Cream
- 300 ml double cream *lactose free
- Tablespoon icing sugar
- teaspoon vanilla paste
Gingerbread Biscuits - ready-made or make your own.
Instructions
Rhubarb Compote
- Preheat Oven - to 180°C
- Prepare Rhubarb – trim both ends of the stalks, discarding any leaves. Rinse the stalks. Cut into small lengths and transfer to your oven dish.Approx. 1 Kg fresh rhubarb
- Sugar – sprinkle over the rhubarb and stir through.250 g caster sugar
- Bake – cover the dish with foil. Cook until the stalks are tender, about 40 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Strain – tip the rhubarb into a sieve over a bowl (retaining the juices) & leave to drain for around 15 minutes. There will be 300-400ml of liquid. Don’t worry about this amount too much – we will make up the quantity with water. No need to press out the compote.
- Refrigerate – transfer the strained rhubarb to a bowl, cover and put in the fridge for later. This will form the fruit layer of the trifle
Rhubarb Jelly
- Bloom Gelatine – sprinkle the gelatine over the cold water in a small dish or bowl. Leave to stand for 5-10 minutes. If there are any undissolved granules, sprinkle a little more cold water over the top.2 teaspoons gelatine powder2 Tablespoons cold water
- Heat Rhubarb Juice – pour the syrup from step collected from the compote into a measuring jug. Microwave until hot, around 30 seconds.
- Add Gelatine – add dissolved gelatine to the measuring jug and stir to combine.
- Dilute – make up volume of rhubarb juice to 500ml with cold water. Stir well.
- Refrigerate – pour the jelly mix slowly through a sieve into a shallow dish. with plastic wrap and leave to set in the fridge for at least four hours.
Cream
- Softly Whip – combine the cream, sieved icing sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk by hand until soft peaks form.300 ml double creamTablespoon icing sugarteaspoon vanilla paste
Assembling the Trifles
- Compote – use tongs to pick up a couple of tablespoons-worth of rhubarb compote (approx. 40g) and place in the middle of the base of each glass, then spread evenly. Press out any air bubbles by working the compote into the corners with a teaspoon.
- Ginger Cake– place a round of gingerbread in each glass and press down. About 1cm thick. The size of the cutter you need will depend on how wide your glasses are.
- Liquid – drizzle a teaspoon of orange juice or liquor over the biscuit.
- Jelly – cut the jelly into 12 portions. Transfer each portion to a small dish and cut into cubes. Tumble into the centre of each glass. Spread out with a teaspoon if required.
- Custard – spoon in about two Tablespoons-worth (50g) of custard into each glass. Use a teaspoon to swirl out to make an even layer and push between the jelly cubes. Cover well and refrigerate.
- Shortly Before Serving – spoon in about a tablespoon of whipped cream into each glass. Use a teaspoon to spread out.
- To Serve – roughly chop some gingerbread biscuit to sprinkle over the tops to decorate.
Notes
Label the glasses if there is a mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic trifles. Masking tape is easy; remove just before serving.
Leftovers
Made too many portions? They’ll keep for up to four days in the fridge. It's better to add freshly whipped cream and freshly chopped gingerbread biscuits as you serve.
Not recommended for freezing