Recipe for Black Cherry Trifle by Tankardstown's Head Chef Rob Krawczyk, featured in Food & Wine Magazine.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a bit of indulgence! Enjoy this Black Cherry Trifle, by Rob Krawczyk of Brabazon Restaurant, Tankardstown. An elegant take on a classic, with the addition of delicious black cherries and some Christmassy spices to make the jelly.

Rob’s Black Cherry Trifle recently featured in Food & Wine Magazine’s Christmas Issue, alongside more of his favourite Christmas Dinner recipes. Pick up your copy now to discover more festive recipes like this one from Leinster’s Best Chef Rob Krawczyk.

Photo by Harry Weir.

Serves 6-8

1 Tin of Amarena Cherries

250ml Whipping Cream

 

For the Cherry Jelly:

250ml Water

250g Sugar

1ltr Cherry Puree

1 Cinnamon Stick

3 Cloves

Juice and Zest of 2 Lemons

9 Gelatine Leaves

 

Add all the ingredients except for the gelatine into a saucepan. Place over a low heat to infuse the spices. 

Place the gelatine leaves in ice cold water to bloom.

When ready, mix the gelatine with the cherry mixture until incorporated.  Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge to set.

 

For the Sponge:

300g Flour

300g Sugar

10 Eggs

120g Butter Melted

 

Beat the eggs and sugar until thick.  Add the flour a bit at a time until mixed well in.  Add the warm melted butter.

Pour into a flat baking tin lined with parchment and bake at 140°c for about 20 minutes, until springs to the touch.

Cool on a wire rack.

When cool cut out a circle about 20mm smaller than the bowl in which your jelly sits.

 

For the Vanilla Custard:

840ml cream

320ml milk

130g sugar

330g egg yolks

2 vanilla pods

 

Bring all the ingredients, except the egg yolks, to the boil, constantly whisking.  Add one ladle of hot mixture to your egg yolks (this will temper the eggs).  Then in turn, add the egg yolks to the hot mixture whisking all the time.

 

To Finish:

Place the sponge on top of the Cherry Jelly, add the custard and cover completely.  Remove the Cherries from their syrup and add a layer cherries on top, and in turn cover completely with a generous amount of whipped cream.  Grate some chocolate on top to complete the trifle.