This interview is in English.
Curious about Elena's Dutch Aussie Christmas recipe? Below you'll find your shopping list and description.
Apple and Speculaas Trifle
Serves 8
15 mins, then overnight, then 15mins to serve
Ingredients
- 250g mascarpone
- 150g whipping cream
- 150g Speculaas spread/ paste
- 8 Dutch almond fingers
- 250g calvados/ apple liqueur/ apple kombucha/ apple juice
- 4 green apples, finely diced
- 1/2tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4tsp cinnamon
- 50g caster sugar
- 500g apple juice
- 3 tsp gelatin powder
- 8 Speculaas biscuits
- 500g thick Custard
Method
- Prepare elements ahead of time and keep separate for ease of plating up when ready to serve.
- For the jelly, in a medium bowl, combine gelatin powder in 1/4 of the juice and mix well. Meanwhile, heat up remaining juice in the microwave or on the stove until hot but not boiling. Pour hot juice into cold juice/gelatin mixture. Stir until gelatin powder has dissolved. Pour jelly into the desired container/mould and allow it to set overnight in the fridge. Dice or spoon up as desired.
- Whip the mascarpone and cream in a bowl until soft peaks, and fold Speculaas paste through until just combined. Store in an airtight container or refrigerated piping bag.
- Soak almond fingers in desired drink liquid for at least two hours in an airtight container in the fridge.
- For the apple compote, place vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and diced apples in a small saucepan over low heat, simmer until just collapsing and syrupy. If you'd prefer at this point you could blitz into a food processor for a smoother consistency.
- When ready to serve, layer each element into single serve glasses so that each layer is visible, finally spoon custard and crumble Speculass biscuit over the top.
Dietary notes:
To make this gluten free, leave out the speculaas spread, and swap out the traditional speculaas for gluten-free shortbread and add extra spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, aniseed, white pepper and coriander, ginger, cardamom and mace) to the apple compote and mascarpone for cream a similarly nostalgic flavour and texture.
Merry Christmas!
