Blackberry trifle

Looks scrumptious

For the parkin

50g butter, plus extra for greasing

100g golden syrup

225g self-raising flour

100g golden caster sugar

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 large egg, beaten

200ml milk

For the blackberry compote

500g fresh or defrosted frozenblackberries

50g golden caster sugar

juice ½ lemon

75ml Amaretto

For the custard

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

75g golden caster sugar

50g cornflour

300ml full-fat milk

300ml double cream

1 vanilla pod, seeds only

To decorate

100g fresh or defrosted frozenblackberries

2 tbsp crystallised ginger, chopped

icing sugar, for sprinkling

Method

Start by making the parkin. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking parchment and grease well with butter.

Put the butter and syrup in a small saucepan and heat gently until melted. In a large bowl, tip in the flour, sugar, ginger and bicarbonate of soda, then slowly pour in the butter and syrup, stirring all the time. Add the beaten egg and milk, then mix until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Make the compote while the parkin is baking. Put the blackberries in a food processor with the sugar and lemon juice and blitz until smooth. Push the mixture through a sieve into a jug to remove the seeds, then stir in the amaretto. Put in the fridge until needed.

Next, make the custard. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and cornflour until smooth and pale. Put the milk, cream and vanilla seeds into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring regularly.

When the milk and cream mixture is hot but not yet boiling, pour a little onto the egg mixture and whisk it in, then pour the lot back into the pan with the rest of the milk and cream. Continue to heat very gently, whisking all the time, until the mixture is glossy and is starting to thicken. Pour the custard through a sieve and cover with cling film to stop a skin forming while it cools.

Once the parkin is cooked, turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

You can now assemble the trifle – cut the parkin into 16 squares and crumble or slice a few of these to fit the base of a large trifle bowl. Add just less than half of the compote and a few whole blackberries, then pour over half the custard. Give the dish a gentle shake to level the mixture, then repeat the layering process once more, reserving a few cubes of parkin. Pour a spiral of compote over the top of the final layer of custard, then use a skewer to drag spokes out from the centre to create a marbled effect. Scatter over a few whole blackberries, then chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add the reserved parkin and the crystallised ginger, then dust with icing sugar.