recipes

winter trifle with spiced custard

• 2 cups (500ml) store-bought vanilla custard
• ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
• 2 cloves
• 2 star anise
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 15g butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 bosc (brown) pear, cored and sliced into four rounds
• 1 store-bought madeira cake, cut into four 7cm rounds and halved
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
• icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted for dusting

Place the custard, vanilla, cloves, star anise, ginger and cinnamon in a saucepan and stir over low heat for 2−3 minutes or until warm. Discard the vanilla, cloves and star anise. Set aside and keep warm.
   Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and honey and cook for 1 minute or until the butter is melted. Add the pear slices and cook for 2−3 minutes each side or until tender. To assemble, place a round of madeira cake on each plate. Spoon over a teaspoon of the orange liqueur, top with the pear and remaining cake rounds. Dust with the icing sugar and pour over the spiced custard to serve. Serves 4.