January 5th, 2009

Mascarpone trifle with real strawberry jelly

This Photo is of an upside down version of the trifle recipe. Lovely for an elegant dinner.

This has sliced Nectarines in it as well.

Serves 6 -8

Strawberry jelly (see separate recipe)
8 or more sponge fingers (Savoiardi Biscuits)
Orange Juice and lemon liqueur for dipping or just use Limoncello for a powerful kick.
(About ¼ cup liqueur and ½ cup orange juice)
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp Limoncello or an orange liqueur
Juice of one lime or one small orange
2 gelatine leaves or 1 tsp gelatine softened in a little water and heated to dissolve
250 g Mascarpone
Garnish of toasted flaked almonds or other nuts

Make the jelly first. (You can make ½ the amount of juice as jelly then use the rest as syrup if you like). Place into a large bowl glass bowl or individual ones and chill to set several hours.
To make mousse topping

Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl then place over a pot of simmering water and beat until warm and thick. Beat until cold.

Soften gelatine leaves in cold water then drain and zap for 20 sec in microwave.

Add to mousse with lime juice and Limoncello. Cool mixture stirring occasionally.

Stir the Mascarpone and gradually add the mousse mix to it.

Assembly

Place the sponge fingers, which should be dipped in the liqueur and orange juice mixture on top of the set jelly and top with mousse. Garnish with fruit, strawberry syrup and flaked toasted almonds when set. Alternatively use cocktail glasses for an individual serve.In the photo I put the jelly on last.

Sometimes I use the Monin Syrups as a garnish

Fresh Strawberry Jelly

This can be made with powdered gelatine but the texture will not be as fine. Do try it with the leaf gelatine at least once. For the quantity of powdered gelatine see below. Cointreau could be left out if children are eating it but it will change the flavour. Serves 4-6

1 kg ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons Cointreau
55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
4 gelatine leaves

Place the sliced strawberries in a 2-litre microwave jug and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for about 10 mins or until the berries have released all their juice. They will look pale and pulpy. Watch for boil-overs. You could cook it on medium power to prevent this but it will take longer. Suspend a jelly bag or muslin cloth over a bowl and tip in the mixture. Either tie it to a laundry tap and leave to drip or place in a sieve over a bowl.  When it has finished dripping discard the pulp and measure the liquid. Add the lemon juice, Cointreau and enough water to make 550ml.

Place the leaves of gelatine to soak in a bowl of cold water.  While this softens, gently warm the juice in a pot or the microwave, add the sugar and stir to dissolve then lift out and squeeze the gelatine leaves and add to the warm liquid. Don’t let the gelatine boil. Stir well.

Rinse out a jelly mould and pour in the strawberry liquid and chill till set. Individual molds or wine glasses can be used or use it in a trifle.

You will never use a packet jelly again.

Tip. Freeze the juice for use when the season is over or before Christmas then thaw and continue as per recipe. Summer revisited!

Leaf gelatine is available in good delicatessens.  If you can’t get it use 2-3 metric teaspoons powdered gelatine softened in a little cold water and gently heated in a cup over hot water or however you normally use it.

Posted by Sue Story  //  Filed in Recipes