SERVES 6-8
6 trifle sponges
100ml sweet sherry
CHESTNUT CREAM
100g milk chocolate broken up
50g unsalted butter diced
1 tin unsweetened chestnut purée (about 425g)
75g golden caster sugar
100ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
MOUSSE
3 medium free-range eggs
50g golden caster sugar
400g mascarpone
½ tsp vanilla extract
TO FINISH
decorations of your choice, for example chocolate squiggles or sliced marrons glacés
YOU WILL NEED
a trifle bowl about 20cm across and 8cm deep
- Arrange the trifle sponges in the base of the bowl and sprinkle over the sherry.
- For the chestnut cream, place the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water and allow to melt, stirring now and again until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and leave the mixture to cool to room temperature. Place the chestnut purée, sugar, cream and vanilla extract in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until creamy, then add the chocolate and butter mixture and whiz again until you have a silky purée. Smooth this over the sponges.
- For the mousse, separate the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl, then beat in the mascarpone and vanilla extract. Whip the egg whites until stiff in another large bowl using an electric whisk and fold into the mascarpone mixture. Smooth this over the top of the chestnut purée, cover and chill for several hours, or overnight. It will keep well for a couple of days. Before serving decorate with your choice of finishes.