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Festive little trifles, layered with fresh cherry jelly enriched with Chambord, a luxurious whipped Buffalo Ricotta cream, crisp ginger biscuits, and a glossy cherry–balsamic drizzle. Finished with almond brittle crush, it’s a dessert that brings instant glamour to your Christmas table, perfect for holiday entertaining and summer celebrations.
Serves 4
4 cups fresh cherries, stems and pits removed
2 tbsp sugar
½ cup water, plus 2 tbsp to bloom the gelatine
1 tbsp powdered gelatine
¼ cup Chambord
Reserved cooked cherry flesh
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1x Vannella Cheese Buffalo Ricotta 350g
300ml cream
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Pinch of salt
12 thin ginger crisp biscuits
½ cup flaked almonds
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp water
Pinch of sea salt
1 tsp olive oil
Pinch of edible gold sugar or shimmer dust
Extra salt, for seasoning
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To make the fresh cherry jelly, place the cherries, sugar and water into a saucepan and simmer gently over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until the cherries have softened, darkened, and released their juices. Avoid letting the mixture boil over. Bloom the gelatine by mixing it with the room-temperature water in a small bowl and setting aside. Strain the cherry mixture through a fine sieve into a measuring jug. Add enough Chambord to bring the liquid to a total of 2 cups. Whisk the bloomed gelatine into the warm cherry liquid until fully dissolved. Divide the jelly between four straight-sided serving glasses (about 370 ml capacity). Refrigerate until completely set.
To macerate the cherries, place the reserved cooked cherry flesh into a small container. Add the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup, mix gently and refrigerate. These can be made 2–3 days ahead if needed.
Now make the whipped Buffalo Ricotta. Whisk the ricotta, cream, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste and salt until slightly thickened. Spoon into a piping bag and refrigerate until needed.
To assemble the trifles, start by piping a 5mm layer of whipped buffalo ricotta over the fully set jelly. Add a ginger crisp biscuit on top. Continue alternating layers (three biscuits and four layers of ricotta cream in total). Strain the macerated cherries, pressing gently to extract as much liquid as possible. Spoon the cherries over the ricotta and biscuit layers. Pipe the remaining ricotta cream on top to create the finishing layer and refrigerate (the trifles can be assembled one day in advance).
Place the reserved strained liquid from the macerated cherries into a small saucepan. Reduce over medium heat by half, until slightly thickened. Cool completely then refrigerate.
Line a tray with baking paper. Place the sugar and water in a small pan and warm over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and cook to a light amber caramel. Quickly stir in the flaked almonds, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Tip onto the tray and spread thinly using the back of an oiled spoon. While still warm, sprinkle with edible gold sugar or shimmer dust. Allow to cool completely. If the weather is humid, store airtight. Do not crush until ready to serve.
To serve, drizzle each trifle with the cherry balsamic syrup and finish with a generous scattering of sparkly almond brittle crush.
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