Recipe: Individual blueberry trifles

Ingredients

For the purée

250g blueberries

500ml stock syrup

For the sponge

4 egg yolks

2oz sugar

2oz flour

2 egg whites

For the anglaise

1 pint of milk

2 pints double cream

1 vanilla pod/ 1 cap vanilla essence

8oz sugar

12 egg yolks

200g white chocolate

Blueberry purée

Garnish

50g blueberries dried

To make the purée

Place the blueberries into a saucepan and cover with the stock syrup. Bring pan to the boil and then reduce to a simmer.

When berries soften, strain off liquid and save for later.

Blend the berries and gradually add the liquid until it is a smooth and slightly thick consistency. Pass through fine sieve into a mixing bowl and add a little bit more liquid if too thick

Pour into a squeezy bottle and refrigerate until later on.

To make the sponge

In a mixer, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and place in fridge until required.

In a fresh bowl, cream together the egg yolks and sugar. When incorporated, fold in the flour, then the egg whites, making sure they are fully incorporated, but not knocking down the mix.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and pour in sponge mix.

Spread evenly with spatula. Cook in an oven at 165C. When cooked, remove from oven and place on cooling rack. When sponge has fully cooled, cut it into circles using round cutters. The size will be dependent on the size of the glass you serve your individual trifles in. Two circles per portion will be ideal.

To make the anglaise

In a saucepan, pour the milk and one pint of cream. Add the vanilla pod seeds or the essence and place on a medium heat – DO NOT BOIL.

While the liquids are coming to a simmer, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl.

When the liquid has reached a simmer, pass it through a fine sieve on to the eggs and whisk until fully incorporated.

In a second bowl, put the white chocolate, place the liquid back into a pan and place on a low heat, whisking continually until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Separate into two halves and add half to the chocolate and whisk in. Place in fridge and save until later.

With the other half of the anglaise, add half of the blueberry purée to it and whisk it all together. Pour into small saucepan and refrigerate until later.

To construct the trifle

Whisk the remaining pint of cream to soft peaks and fold in the white chocolate anglaise until a smooth, thick mousse consistency is achieved. Transfer to a piping bag.

In the base of a glass, put a small dot of the purée, then a layer of the mousse about 1cm thick. Put one disc of sponge on top of the mousse and, using the squeezy bottle, round the edge of the glass, pour a ring of blueberry purée.

Sprinkle in four halves of dried blueberries on the top.

Repeat the process one more time and finish.

With one more layer of mousse and a few more dried blueberries on the top, refrigerate before serving.

To serve

Heat the blueberry anglaise on the stove until it is hot. Using a hand-held blender, foam the anglaise and spoon on to the trifles until it is just coming to the top of the glass. Serve immediately before foam falls.