Goodbye Gluten Trifle

Ingredients 

Crème Anglaise

470 ml milk
470 ml cream
1½ tsp vanilla extract
8 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp cornflour, from maize

White Chocolate Shards
150g white chocolate

Raspberry and Vanilla Sponge

4 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup caster sugar
¹ ⁄ ³ cup cornflour from maize
² ⁄ ³ cup gluten free flour mix
½ tsp baking powder, gluten free
1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp baking soda Cream filling
½ cup raspberry jam
300 ml cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp icing sugar, gluten free

For the trifle

Sherry or limoncello or other liqueur
3 cups fresh raspberries
300 ml cream, whipped

Directions

1 quantity of the sponge recipe.
Instead of baking in two round tins, use a 23 cm square cake tin.
Bake for 20 minutes until the cake springs back when pressed lightly with a finger. Carefully remove from the tin to a wire rack to cool completely.

Crème Anglaise

1. Heat milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan to just below boiling point. Remove from the heat.
2. Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornflour together in a bowl until well combined and smooth.
3. Pour in about half of the hot milk mixture, whisking the entire time, then return this to the saucepan, still whisking.
4. Stir constantly over a low heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not allow to boil.
5. Strain in to a jug. Place a layer of cling film on top of the custard to prevent a skin forming.
6. Allow to cool. Refrigerate until needed.

White Chocolate

1. Melt about 150 g white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water, without allowing the base of the bowl to touch the water.
2. Alternatively, melt chocolate in the microwave on low heat.
3. Cut two rectangles of baking paper about 20 cm x 30 cm.
4. Spread the white chocolate over one sheet of paper in a thin layer leaving the border free of chocolate. Place the second sheet of baking paper on top and very gently, with the back of a long knife, smooth out to an even thickness, eliminating any air bubbles.
5. Starting at the shortest end, gently roll the paper and chocolate in to a log.
6. Place on a plate seam side down and refrigerate until set

Assembling the trifle

1. Cut the sponge in to pieces and arrange half around the base of the trifle bowl.
2. Drizzle with sherry. Scatter half the raspberries on top of the sponge.
3. Pour half the crème anglaise over the raspberries.
4. Repeat with the remaining sponge, sherry, raspberries and crème anglaise.
5. Pile whipped cream over the crème anglaise. The trifle can be covered and left in the refrigerator at this stage until the next day. For serving, unroll the log of white chocolate to form shards. Arrange over the cream.

The Sponge

1. Preheat oven to 175° C. Prepare two 20 cm round cake tins by lining the bases with baking paper. They need to be deep tins or the mixture will flow over the tops. Alternatively make one 20 cm cake and slice in half horizontally before filling.
2. Using an electric mixer beat the eggs and the caster sugar on high for 10 minutes until very thick and creamy. Meanwhile sift the flour mix, baking powder, cream of tartar and baking soda three times. This helps aerate the flour mix so the sponge will be as light as possible.
3. Gently fold in to the egg mixture using a large metal spoon. Be careful not to over mix. As soon as there is no more visible flour, stop mixing. This ensures as many air bubbles as possible will be in the mix. Divide mixture evenly in to the two cake tins and level the tops.
4. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the cakes spring back when pressed with a finger. Carefully remove from the tins to a wire rack to cool completely. Sandwich the two cakes together with the cream filling.

Cream Filling

1. Place one cake topside down on a cake plate. Spread with the raspberry jam.
2. Whip the cream, vanilla and icing sugar until it holds its shape, being careful not to over whip.
3. Spread over the jam. Place the second cake on top.Dust with extra icing sugar