Adam Handling's 'Strawberry and Ginger Trifle'
Adam Handling is very much chef of the moment. Champion of Champions at the 2023 Great British Menu Banquet and this trifle recipe is already recommended to be made as the official dessert recipe for the coronation of King Charles III. Oh, sorry. And that of Queen Camilla of course! As I write this we wait to find out if Adam’s ‘Majestic Chicken Pie’ recipe will win the most votes for The One Show’s Coronation Dish.
There are recipes for this Strawberry and Ginger Trifle all over the place. And some of them are literally all over the place! Ambiguous instructions created by careless proof readers or editors mean that you must tread carefully. The recipe here is fairly reliable and is reasonably clear for a keen home cook to tackle.
The Yorkshire Parkin works a treat and is your easy starting point. Make it first and you will probably realise that you should have baked two as you hoover up the crumbs while cutting into smaller cubes for the base of the dish. Don’t be proud about freezing any excess.
All photos should click open in a lightbox if you want the ‘bigger picture’.
Many recipes contain an element which can be used in other ways. This Parkin is certainly one. I would quite happily offer as a chiselled chunk amongst other petits fours. I’ve already enjoyed a more generous portion with morning coffee. Crumbed and toasted, it would add texture to other desserts and a fair few savoury dishes.
You are seeing the dish prepared for a trip to share with family in Nottingham. This was a week before the coronation. It will most definitely be made again; but not necessarily for the ‘big day’.
The jelly will be pretty cloudy using the blended strawberries of the recipe. That’s fine. It won’t compromise the flavour. You can see that I insisted on a little more ‘finish’. I juiced 500 grams of fruit and then filtered the liquid further through a Chemex paper to produce a clearly unnecessary clarity.
Your jelly making skills now come into play. I use bronze leaf gelatine for all except vegetarian requirements. I’m pretty sure that Adam Handling’s kitchen uses the same but it will be just fine to follow the instructions on your own powder or sheet packets as long as you don’t leave things too dribblesome. Gelatine does take time to work as the liquid cools. Be patient.
Layering can begin before the jelly shows signs of skinning over. These pictures take you up to the stage before custard and cream is added.
A quick ‘aside’. Even though the Parkin is great as it is, I have given serious consideration to splashing it with a little ginger wine for that boozy element which any visiting aunt, uncle or adult relative would traditionally relish. You decide on your approach. It’s a trifle. Anything - well, almost anything - goes.
The candied pistachios (included in this 'Country Living’ recipe) are a nice final touch. I don’t remember previously having had a recipe which calls for this process. I understood everything pretty well and a decent, accurate thermometer helped produce the desired effect.
I did learn not to stop whisking the nuts in the hot syrup too soon. Thinking all was done I removed the whisk and then heard a cracking similar to shifting ice floes. The sugar glaze had solidified around a lump of nuts which I had to separate by gently pressing without crushing. No harm done.
And that is it as far as my photo record of the individual portions is concerned. Other distractions got in the way as we packed for our trip and all was tucked into chiller boxes before any more camera action.
You do get one complete version for your visual delectation. There were enough elements on hand for a large martini glass offering.
Full disclosure:
While perfectly capable of making the rich eggy custard of the recipe, I chose to use a shop-bought carton and mix it with powdered ginger this time.
The cream was also very slightly over-whipped and was reluctant to leave the piping bag and leave a defined shape.
Things learned and stuff to modify next time.
And there will be a next time. Perhaps in a more traditional big glass bowl. This is most definitely a crowd pleaser.