Botanical gin and tonic trifle by Katrina Meynink

Ingredients
6 titanium strength gelatin leaves
300g castor sugar
300ml water
250ml gin (A floral, botanical gin works well)
400ml tonic water (I used Fevertree)
Pavlovas
4 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 cup castor sugar
1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1 tsp cornflour
Lemon curd
zest and juice of 4 lemons
⅔ cup butter (about 160g)
1½ cups castor sugar
2 decent sprigs of lemon thyme
4 eggs plus 4 egg yolks
60ml gin
Crumble layer
1 sheet sweet shortcrust pastry (I used Careme)
¼ cup white chocolate chips (I used Callebaut)
½ cup roasted macadamias, roughly chopped
Whipped gin cream/b>
400ml cream
¼ cup icing sugar
60ml gin
To garnish
125g fresh honeycomb (or a small drizzle of floral honey)
lemon verbena leaves
lemon thyme
about 20g freeze-dried raspberries
1 small punnet of edible flowers

Method

For the gin and tonic jelly bloom the gelatin in a bowl of icy cold water and set aside.
Add the sugar and 300ml of water to a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and stir regularly to dissolve the sugar. Add the gin and stir to combine. Add the bloomed gelatin sheets and whisk vigorously. Once fully incorporated add the tonic water and whisk again. Pour into a 25cm-diameter trifle bowl and place in the fridge to set overnight.
For mini pavlovas preheat oven to 150C and line several oven trays with baking paper.
Whisk egg whites and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer to soft peaks (4 to 5 minutes), then, with motor running, gradually add sugar and whisk until firm and glossy (2 to 3 minutes). Whisk in the lemon juice or vinegar, then fold in cornflour. Using 2 dessert spoons, shape into rough quenelles and place onto trays. Place trays in preheated oven, reduce the temperature to 120C, and bake until meringues are crisp but not coloured (1-1¼ hours). Turn off heat and cool completely in oven with the door closed (3 to 4 hours). Meringues will keep in an airtight container for one day.
To make the lemon curd add the lemon juice and zest, butter and castor sugar to a saucepan. Place over low-medium heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until incorporated. Add the sprigs of lemon thyme and set aside for 10 minutes.
Remove the lemon thyme then add the eggs and yolks and return pan to the heat. Whisk continually until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Add the gin and cook for another minute, then allow to cool slightly (about 15 minutes) before gently pouring the lemon curd across the gin and tonic jelly layer. Return the trifle bowl to the fridge for at least two hours to cool completely.
For the crumble preheat oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place the sweet shortcrust pastry sheet on the lined tray and bake until golden and brown, about 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool before breaking into 20-cent-coin-sized pieces into a bowl. Toss together with the white chocolate chips and roasted macadamias. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the curd layer.
To assemble: On the day of serving, whip the cream to medium-firm peaks. Sift the icing sugar over the cream and whisk to incorporate. Just before serving, stir through the gin. Dollop the cream on top of the crumble layer. Gently arrange the mini pavlovas over the gin cream layer until they reach the top of your trifle dish (you should have about two layers of meringue; just place them as best you can, there is no need to be precise). Scatter over the garnish toppings and finish with broken pieces of fresh honeycomb at the centre.
The best bit: you can do this in stages, bits and bobs, here and there, as you get ready for Christmas. All you need to do on the day is whip a bit of cream and sprinkle all the pretty flowers, herbs and bits of delight on top.
Recipe and photo courtesy of goodfood.com.au

Matt Preston's gin and cherry trifle

“You can start this recipe a day ahead”

Ingredients

1.5kg pitted cherries (fresh or frozen), plus 500g fresh, halved and pitted
460g caster sugar
2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted, lightly crushed
1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
12 (20g) gelatine leaves (we used McKenzie’s)
1 cup (250ml) gin, plus 2 tbs extra
Juice of 2 lemons, strained
2 cups (500ml) full-cream milk
2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground mixed spice
10 egg yolks
¼ cup (35g) cornflour
½ cup (70g) hazelnuts
1 cup (320g) lemon curd
450g panettone, crusts removed, sliced into 1cm-thick slices
½ cup (125ml) elderflower cordial
2 cups (500ml) double cream
Elderflowers, to serve (optional)

Method

1.Place cherries, 200g sugar, coriander seeds, juniper berries and 600ml water in a pan. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, soak gelatine in cold water to soften. Pass cherry mixture through a fine sieve into a large jug, gently pressing cherries to release juice (discard solids). Measure 1 litre (4 cups) of liquid for jelly, reserving remaining separately. Squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to hot cherry liquid and stir until dissolved. Stir in gin and lemon juice. Pour into a 3.5-litre trifle dish. Chill for 2 hours to set.
2.To make custard, place milk, thickened cream, vanilla and mixed spice in a heavy-based pan over medium heat and, stirring occasionally, bring to just below boiling point. Remove from heat. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, cornflour and 110g sugar until thick and pale. Whisking continuously, slowly pour cream mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to the pan and whisk over medium-low heat for 3 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a stand mixer and whisk on medium for 15 minutes or until cool. Cover and chill.
3.Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place hazelnuts, 75g sugar and 1/3 cup (80ml) water in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously, for 8-10 minutes until sugar crystallises. Pour onto tray, cool, then roughly chop
4.Spread curd on one side of each slice of panettone and sandwich slices together curd-side in. Cut each into 6 squares.
5.Place reserved cherry liquid, extra gin, ¼ cup (60ml) cordial and remaining 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Place fresh cherries in a bowl, pour hot liquid on top and chill until completely cool.
6.Beat double cream and remaining cordial in a stand mixer to soft peaks.
7.To assemble, pour chilled custard over jelly. Scatter panettone over and spoon cherries and syrup on top. Finish with elderflower cream, then scatter with frosted hazelnuts and elderflowers, if using.
Recipe and photo courtesy of delicious.

Gin and tonic trifle wreath

Ingredients

85g pkt lemon jelly crystals
250ml boiling water
200ml tonic water
3 x 450 pkts madeira cake, crusts removed
350g jar lemon curd
60ml (1/4 cup) gin
500ml (2 cups) thickened cream
250ml (1 cup) double thick vanilla custard
Yellow jubes, halved, to decorate
Mini marshmallows, to serve
Fresh mint leaves, to serve

Method

Combine the jelly crystals with 250ml (1 cup) boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add the tonic water and stir to combine. Pour into a 11cm x 16cm plastic container. Place in the fridge for 4 hours or until set. While still in the container, use a non-serrated knife to cut jelly into 1.5cm squares. Turn out onto a plate and place in the fridge until required. Cut each madeira cake into 8 slices. Use a 5.5cm round pastry cutter to cut a disc from each slice. Combine the lemon curd and gin in a bowl. Brush the tops of the rounds generously with the lemon curd mixture. Reserve remaining curd mixture.Use electric beaters to beat the cream and custard together until firm peaks form. Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 13mm fluted nozzle. Pipe cream mixture generously onto each cake slice, reserving remaining cream mixture. Arrange cake slices on a large serving plate, standing upright, to make a wreath shape. Gently press together so they hold.
Drizzle the remaining curd mixture over the wreath, then pipe the reserved cream mixture in small rosettes over the top. Decorate with jelly cubes. Place in the fridge for 4 hours or until set. Decorate the wreath with the jubes, marshmallows and mint. Serve immediately.
Recipe and photo courtesy of taste.com.au