Name: Cherry trifle with pistachio and rosemary crumble
Ingredients: 500g pitted black cherries ( I used frozen here but use fresh if you can find them); 120g caster sugar; 1 small sprig rosemary; 2 limes, skin of 1 removed with a peeler, 2 tbsp juice; 60ml kirsch; 280g shop-bought madeira cake or other plain sponge cake; 2 shop bought meringues nests; a handful of fresh cherries (optional); 5g picked rosemary; 30g sugar; 50g roasted pistachios; ⅛ tsp flaked salt; 4 egg yolks, whites reserved for another use; 100ml kirsch; 40g caster sugar; 600ml double cream

Cherry trifle with pistachio and rosemary crumble

Dessert Summer

Serves 6-8

Prep 25 min

Cook 20 min

When I made this trifle years ago, I chose to make my own sponge, and grappa was the booze of choice. To make the process easier, I have now opted for a shop bought sponge and ready pitted cherries. The trifle in an elegant makeover, is served now on a plate with the pistachio crumble for a finishing flourish. However, if you would like a tadah moment or if you have a trifle bowl you’d like to show off, assemble the trifle in a regular manner and refrigerate until needed.

Ingredients

500g	pitted black cherries ( I used frozen here but use fresh if you can find them)
120g	caster sugar
1	small sprig rosemary
2	limes, skin of 1 removed with a peeler, 2 tbsp juice
60ml	kirsch
280g	shop-bought madeira cake or other plain sponge cake
2	shop bought meringues nests
	a handful of fresh cherries (optional)
PISTACHIO CRUMBLE
5g	picked rosemary
30g	sugar
50g	roasted pistachios
⅛ tsp	flaked salt
SABAYON
4	egg yolks, whites reserved for another use
100ml	kirsch
40g	caster sugar
600ml	double cream

Method

Place the cherries, sugar, rosemary, lime peel and kirsch in a saucepan on medium high heat. Cook for 8 minutes until the cherries have softened but still hold their shape. Strain, reserving the liquid and returning it back to the pan. Cook for another 8 minutes until thickened and return the cherries to the pan. Set aside to cool.
Place the rosemary and sugar in the large bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped then add in the pistachios and salt. Pulse again until finely crumbled.
Fill ¼ of a saucepan with water and place on a medium heat. Place the egg yolks, kirsch and sugar in a bowl that will snugly fit the saucepan. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the base doesn’t touch the water. Whisk continuously for 4-5 minutes until it looks like a thick foamy cream. Remove the bowl from the pan and set aside to cool for 5 minutes, whisking two or three times as it cools down.
Place the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the balloon attachment and whisk on medium high speed until it forms soft peaks. Gently whisk half of the cream in the sabayon and set aside.
To assemble, slice the cake into 1 ½ cm thick and 7cm wide slices. Place on a plate, spoon over some of the cherries and juice so that the cake is soaked. Spoon the sabayon followed by the cream. Crumble the meringue over and scatter over the pistachio crumble. Serve with two fresh cherries or with another spoonful of the cooked cherries.