Raspberry cream trifle
Serves 4-6.
Fresh raspberries are becoming available year round but none surpass those of summer. When using locally grown berries rather than those shipped across country in refrigerated trucks and rail cars, you will fully appreciate why these are considered the crown jewels of the berry world for pastry chefs. Buying local means that the berries are more likely to retain their ephemeral, incomparable perfume and are certainly worth seeking out at markets in your region. A close second to eating them out of hand, freshly picked from the bush with the heat of the sun still on them, is using them in this homespun yet still fancy dessert. Here they are accents to a rich creamy custard separated by layers of ethereal sponge or angel food cake brushed with a generous slug of raspberry brandy-flavored syrup.
Note: To save time and effort on a lazy late summer weekend, you can use storebought ladyfingers or angel food cake, without feeling guilty.
To make the custard:
6 egg yolks from large eggs
Scant 1/2 c. (3 ounces) granulated sugar
Generous 1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) whole milk
1 t. pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 sheets gelatin (or 2-1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin)
1-1/8 c. (9 ounces) heavy cream
Have a bowl of ice and another smaller bowl which can fit over the ice ready to use once the custard mixture has been cooked.
Place the gelatin sheets into a small bowl of ice water and set aside. (If using powdered unflavored gelatin, place the powder into a small bowl of 8 t. cold water. Stir until the gelatin absorbs the water and then place the mixture into a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Stir the mixture until the gelatin is clear and fully melted. Keep the melted gelatin over the simmering water until ready to use. Then proceed with the recipe.)
In the bowl of an electric mixer outfitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar until light in texture and light lemony colored. In a two quart capacity heavy saucepan, bring the milk to the boil. Remove from the heat and slowly stir a small amount of the hot milk into the egg yolk and sugar mixture to temper the mixture. Then stir in the rest of the milk and cook in a clean saucepan over medium heat stirring but not aerating until the mixture coats the back of a spoon (the temperature of the mixture should read 180 degrees F. at this point). Remove the bloomed softened gelatin from the ice water, squeezing out any excess liquid (or if using the powdered gelatin, handle it as stated above) and add to the hot custard mix. Stir until the gelatin melts completely into the custard. Then pour the custard through a fine meshed sieve into the bowl set over the ice and stir to cool immediately.
In the meantime, whip the cream to soft peaks. Once the custard is cool and just beginning to set lightly, fold in two thirds of the whipped cream, reserving the remainder to serve on top of the trifle. Set the now finished custard aside until you are ready to assemble the dessert. (Refrigerate if not using within 15 minutes; remove from the refrigerator and place over a bowl of warm water to soften slightly, just enough to make the mixture pipeable or spreadable. Then proceed.)
Make the framboise simple syrup as follows:
1 c. (7 ounces) granulated sugar
Scant 1 c. (7 ounces) water
1 T. (scant 1/2 ounce) eau de vie de framboise (clear raspberry brandy)
Bring the sugar and water to the boil. Cook until slightly thickened. Allow to cool to room temperature and then stir the eau de vie into the syrup. Set aside until ready to complete the dessert.
For the raspberry puree:
1 pint fresh raspberries, gently washed and dried, for plating sauce
Granulated sugar, to taste
In a food processor, puree the raspberries, sweetened to taste to use as a plating sauce. If you wish to yield a smooth sauce, pass the puree through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the seeds. Discard the seeds and reserve the sauce.
To assemble the trifle:
6 ounces ladyfingers OR
1 7 to 8 inch round angel food cake, split horizontally into three layers
Framboise syrup from above
Custard from above
1 pint fresh raspberries, gently washed and dried
For the garnishes:
Additional fresh raspberries, a few per serving
Confectioners’ sugar to sift over the finished dessert
Cover the bottom of a serving dish with one layer of ladyfingers (or one layer of the angel food cake). Brush liberally with 1/3 of the syrup. Brush lightly with a thin layer of the raspberry puree. Pipe or spoon one third of the custard over the ladyfingers and then scatter a generous layer of fresh raspberries over the custard. Place a second layer of ladyfingers (or the second layer of angel food cake) over the raspberries and then brush it with more of the syrup and the puree. Lay in another layer of custard, top with more berries and then finish the next layer by placing the remaining ladyfingers (or angel food cake) over the berries. Brush again with syrup and garnish the top with the reserved whipped cream and a few more berries. Refrigerate just to set, about 15 minutes to a half hour, and then remove from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to bloom and “open up.”
Mask each plate on which you are serving the portions of the trifle with a generous pool of the remaining raspberry puree. Cut the trifle into portions and dust each with a fine sifting of powdered sugar, if desired. Place it on top of the puree. Serve immediately.
