Summer Fruit And Meringue Trifle Recipes

SUMMER FRUIT TRIFLE

Steps:

• Cover the bottom of a large bowl with 1/3 of the angel food cake cubes. Generously cover the cake with 1 1/3 cups yogurt. Spread 1 1/3 cups of the strawberry slices and blueberries on top of the yogurt. Repeat twice with the remaining cake cubes, yogurt, and berries. Serve immediately or chill until needed.

SUMMER FRUIT AND MERINGUE TRIFLE

Steps:

• Using electric mixer, beat yolks in medium bowl to blend. Add sugar and beat on high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in cornstarch.
• Place milk in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into milk; add bean. Bring mixture to boil. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same pan. Cook over medium heat until very thick and center of mixture is bubbling, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove pastry cream from heat. Whisk 1 minute. Strain into large bowl. Place sheet of plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, at least 3 hours. (Pastry cream can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Whip cream in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Whisk pastry cream to loosen. Fold 1 cup whipped cream into pastry cream. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate while preparing fruit.
• Place meringues in large resealable plastic bag and seal. Coarsely crush meringues with mallet, leaving some large pieces (there should be about 6 cups). Place nectarines in another large bowl. Fold 1/2 cup peach preserves into nectarines. Place peaches in another large bowl. Fold remaining 1/2 cup peach preserves into peaches. Place 3 containers boysenberries in another large bowl; fold in boysenberry preserves. Spread 2 cups crushed meringues over bottom of 14-cup trifle dish. Spoon nectarines over meringues. Spread 13/4 cups pastry cream over fruit. Cover fruit with 2 cups crushed meringues. Spoon boysenberry mixture over meringues. Spread 13/4 cups pastry cream over fruit. Cover fruit with 2 cups crushed meringues. Spoon peach mixture over meringues. Place remaining cream in large dollop in center of trifle. Decorate top with additional berries. Refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 5 hours.

SUMMER FRUIT PAVLOVA

Steps:

• If you're using fresh eggs and you have time, freeze the egg whites, then defrost completely (see tip, 'freeze for ease', below). Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment and heat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas ½. Using a 20cm cake tin or plate as a guide, draw a circle on the parchment, then flip it over.
• Rub the reserved lemon half around the inside of a large bowl. Tip in the egg whites and whisk using an electric whisk until small, foamy bubbles form, about 1-2 mins. Continue to whisk until the egg whites resemble shaving foam, then add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue is thick and glossy. Rub a dab between your fingertips - if you can feel any grains of sugar, keep whisking for a few minutes more. Add the cornflour and lemon juice, then whisk for another 30 seconds.
• Spoon the meringue mix into the middle of the circle template, then use a palette knife to spread it out to fill the circle, creating a dip in the middle (this will hold the topping later). Run the palette knife up the edges at regular intervals to create ridges, if you like. Bake for 1 hr, then turn off the oven and leave the pavlova to cool completely with the door shut (if you can, leave it overnight).
• For the topping, tip the strawberries into a bowl, dust with the icing sugar and squeeze over a little lemon juice. Mix together and leave to stand for 30 mins. Meanwhile, whisk the ingredients for the cream together until thick and pillowy. Gently stir the raspberries and redcurrants, if using, through the strawberries. Spoon the cream into the middle of the pavlova, then top with the fruit, drizzling over any juice. Scatter over the mint or basil before serving.