Clementine and Ginger Cake Trifle

This recipe was commissioned by The Trustees of Borough Market. Recipe, styling and photography by me: http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/recipes/clementine-gingerbread-trifle 

A real show stopper- this will go down a treat on Christmas day!

 For any Christmas pudding haters out there, this trifle is a nice alternative and, with its flavours of clementine and ginger, still feels just as festive and celebratory. I’ve used the delicious ginger cake from Bread Ahead Bakery and beautiful cinnamon honey from Field and Flower, which makes this recipe really very easy. I’ve chosen to prepare it in one huge trifle dish to make it a great centre piece for any party, but it works in individual glasses just as well. Top it with whatever you like - crushed ginger biscuits and crystallised ginger works well - and for a bit of colour and pizazz, you can bejewel it with glistening pomegranate seeds and red currants.

For one large trifle, serving 10 people:

Ingredients

500g Ginger cake

4 tbsp Sherry

8 Clementines

750ml Orange juice (about 8 oranges)

8 Gelatine leaves

500g Mascarpone

500g Greek yogurt

Cinnamon honey

Zest of one orange

250g Double cream

Handful of pomegranate seeds for decoration

Handful of ginger biscuits, crushed

Handful crystallised ginger, chopped

Method

1. Start off by making your orange jelly. Heat the orange juice in a pan until nearly boiling. Soak the gelatine in cold water and leave for 5 minutes until softened. Take the pan off the heat, squeeze out the water from your gelatine and stir it into the heated orange juice. Leave the mixture to cool a little.
2. Meanwhile cut the ginger cake into 2cm cubes. Place at bottom of your trifle dish and press down a bit to ensure it’s nice and snug. Drizzle the sherry over the cake.
3. Peel the clementines, removing as much of the white pith as you can whilst keeping the fruit whole. Slice 1cm slices across the fruit to give you disks of clementine. Lay the slices on top of your ginger cake base. Try to make sure that there is no sponge visible, as the fruit will act as a barrier to prevent the jelly mixture from just soaking straight into the sponge. Place some slices upright against the glass to create a fantastic retro look.
4. Carefully pour the jelly over your ginger cake and fruit. If you find that the clementines start floating out of place, pour in just a little of the jelly to start with, and allow that to set in the fridge, before pouring in the rest. This will ensure that your beautifully arranged clementines stay in place. Leave in the fridge until the jelly is set (usually about 5 hours).
5. When the jelly is set, beat together the mascarpone and Greek yogurt until smooth and add cinnamon honey and orange zest to taste.  Chill again until this has solidified slightly.

If you feel you want to give your trifle a bit more height (and this is optional depending on how full your trifle bowl is at this point!), whip the double cream to soft peaks and spoon on top of your trifle. Chill until serving time, when you can sprinkle with your chosen toppings - in this instance crushed ginger biscuits, crystallised ginger and pomegranate seeds.

This recipe was commissioned by The Trustees of Borough Market. Recipe, styling and photography by msyelf. 

Autumn Comforts: Butternut Squash

There's something wonderfully comforting about butternut squash. From its slightly sweet flavour and soft texture, to its beautiful sunset orange hue, it is the perfect ingredient to be cooking with at Autumn time. It's worth noting that you should be a little careful with other squash varieties- some of these beautiful Gourds we are seeing popping up at markets  at the moment are often only decorative, and not very nice to eat, though very pretty to look at. You're always safe with a butternut squash though, and it's got lots of beautiful flesh to give. It's also a great carrier for flavour. In the two recipes below I have paired it firstly with sage, a mellow and aromatic herb that I love to use in pasta dishes, and secondly with chilli, which gives my butternut soup a fabulous kick.

Top Top: When deseeding the butternut squash don't throw the seeds away- these little gems are delicious when roasted and a high source of fibre, plant-based protein and vitamins. Give them a wash and remove any bits of squash. Allow to dry on some kitchen towel. Place in a roasting tin with a little olive oil, salt and if you like a bit of spice, try sprinkling some hot smoked paprika on too. Roast at 180C for around 20-25 minutes, until they are a dark nutty brown colour. Sprinkle on salad or soups, or just enjoy as a snack. Waste Not Want Not!

Pretty little things squash seeds, and good for you too

Roasted butternut squash seeds with olive oil, salt and hot smoked paprika

Rigatoni with Butternut Squash, Sage and Feta

Serves 4

A perfect mid-week supper, this dish is high in the ease and comfort factor. I have chosen Rigatoni pasta in this recipe, simply because I like the satisfying bite that these big tubes of pasta give the dish. Any pasta would work of course, but I prefer to opt for varieties you can scoop up with a spoon alone, like Penne, Conchilglie (shells) or Orecchiette, simply because I like to be able to sit on the sofa with a big bowl full and eat it with minimal effort.

300g Rigatoni pasta or similar
1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into bite size pieces
Large bunch of sage leaves, large stalks removed and chopped (fresh sage is best, but dried will work)
Olive oil
Knob of butter
1 large red onion, sliced
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional- if you like a little spice) 
Large bunch of spinach
150g feta cheese 

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Place the butternut squash in a roasting tray, and sprinkle generously with half your chopped sage, and salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, give it a good shake so it's all lightly coated in the oil, sage and seasoning. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, giving it another shake mid-way through, until the squash is soft throughout and starting to going crisp on the outside.

2. Cook the Rigatoni in salted boiling water, according to pack instructions (usually 10-12 mins)

3. Meanwhile in a large pan, Melt the butter, and gently fry the onion in it until soft and beginning to caramelize. When they are soft and sticky, add the garlic, the rest of the chopped sage, and red chilli and fry for a couple of minutes till softened, adding more butter or olive oil if needed.

4. Next add the spinach to the pan and allow to wilt for a few minutes. Add your cooked rigatoni and butternut squash to the pan and gently fold to coat the pasta and ensure it's all mixed nicely. If the sauce is looking a little dry, just add a drizzle more olive oil and a knob of butter. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste (bear in mind the feta is salty, so don't go over board).

5. Place in serving bowls and crumble feta over generously. Enjoy with a good film and glass of red wine- bliss!

Butternut Squash and Chilli Soup

This soup is a great winter warmer, and it's a good idea to make a big saucepan-full on a weekend, and freeze it in batches, so you can dig it out whenever suits for a fuss-free dinner or a hearty office lunch. The amount of liquid needed in this recipe depends entirely on the size of the squash you start with, and on how thick you like your soup- the bigger the squash the more liquid you will need. I suggest you start with the amount I have recommended here, blitz it up, see how it looks, then adjust the liquid levels by adding extra stock, hot water or a drop of milk.


1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into large cubes
Olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
900ml veg stock
4 tbsp creme fraiche


1. Preheat oven to 200C. Place the butternut squash in a roasting tin, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and roast for around 30 mins, giving it a shake up/turn half way through, until it is soft and starting to go crisp at the edges.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and gently fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic and ¾ of the red chilli and fry for a few minutes until soft.

3. Tip the roasted squash back in the pan, add the stock and creme fraiche and give it a good stir. Use a stick blender to blend your soup, or pour into a liquidizer and blitz until smooth. If the soup is too thick, you can add a little more veg stock, hot water, or even a drop of milk to get it to your desired consistency.

4. Give it a taste, and add seasoning accordingly. Serve hot with a dollop of creme fraiche, a sprinkle of chopped chilli, and some of the roasted squash seeds (see Top Tip at the top of blog post).

Crème fraiche going in.....