Coronation Recipe: Royal Cherry Trifle

Planning a coronation street party? Impress your neighbours with this showstopping royal cherry trifle, created by Sarah Turner, head of development at catering company Social Pantry. It’s made with Earl Grey crème pat, whey caramel sauce and orange cream, and will make the perfect centrepiece to any royal festivities over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Coronation Recipe: Royal Cherry Trifle

Ingredients:

• 1 packet sponge fingers
• 200ml double cream
• 1 orange 
• 50g Caster sugar 
• Handful of fresh whole cherries for decoration

Optional toppings: 

Flaked almonds, pistachios, edible flowers, mint sprigs and dried raspberries

Cherry compote:

• 450g tinned cherries, pitted, syrup reserved 
• 50g caster sugar 
• 30ml water 
• 15ml lemon juice 

Earl Grey Crème Pat: 

• 600ml milk 
• 30g Earl Grey tea
• 40g yolks 
• 45g cornflour 
• 100g caster sugar 
• 10g vanilla

Method: 

1. Drain the tinned cherries, chop the cherries roughly six to eight pieces, put the syrup in a pan with 50ml water and 50g of the caster sugar and place on a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the cherries juice is a light syrup consistency. Set this aside for soaking the sponge fingers. 
2. Put all the cherry compote ingredients together in a separate pan and cook gently until the cherries have broken down and the sugar dissolved. You can either keep this as a chunky compote, or blend into a smooth purée. 
3. To make the crème pat, place the milk and Earl Grey tea in a pan and bring to a simmer. Allow to reduce in temperature until warm, then strain through a fine sieve. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolks, sugar, cornflour & vanilla, slowly pour the warm milk over the egg yolk, mixing it in as you go. 
5. Return to the pan and place over a very gentle heat, continuously stir until the mix thickens, if it goes lumpy remove and give it a really good mix to bring it back together. Set aside, covered with some baking paper so that it doesn’t form a skin. 
6. Lightly whip the double cream, add the orange zest and stir through. 
7. Soak the sponge fingers in the cherry syrup and layer up inside the trifle dish: sponge fingers, crème pat, cherry compote, repeat the layers & top with the orange cream. 
8. Sprinkle with your preferred toppings!