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Victoria's gorgeous individual trifles are an exotic take on the classic dessert. Japanese Gekkeikan Horin Junmai Daiginjo Sake adds a modern twist to the fruity mandarin jelly.
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/gas mark 4 and line a small roulade tray with baking parchment
2
Make the sponge by whisking all the ingredients together with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth over the top with a palette knife. Bake for 10–15 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool completely
3
Peel and segment the mandarins using a knife, so that all the skin has been pared off, being careful to collect any excess juice over the fruit. Pour over the sake, cover the dish with cling film and leave the mandarins to marinate for at least a few hours
4
In the meantime, make the custard. Put the cream and mandarin zest in a small saucepan over a gentle heat. In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy. When the cream just comes to the boil, pour it over the eggs and sugar and whisk together
5
Return the mixture to the pan and stir over a gentle heat until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the custard into a jug, cover with cling film and leave to cool to room temperature before transferring the custard to the fridge
6
Lightly oil the insides of the mousse rings and use each as a stamp to press out a circle of sponge. Place all of the rings on a baking tray lined with parchment and press the cake discs down to ensure they are flush with the base of each ring
7
Strain the mandarin segments, reserving the marinade liquor for the jelly, and top each layer of sponge with an even layer of fruit
8
To make the jelly, squeeze the excess water out of the gelatine and dissolve with the hot water before whisking it into the mandarin juice and sake. Pour a generous layer of jelly over the fruit (it will soak through the sponge) and refrigerate for half an hour to an hour, or until the jelly has set
9
Finish the custard by squeezing the excess water out of the gelatine and melting it in hot water before stirring it into the custard. Divide the custard between the rings, leaving a little room at the top for cream. Return the trifles to the fridge and leave to set for a few hours
10
Spread some whipped cream over the top of the custard and flash a blowtorch around the edges of the ring moulds to release the trifles. Spoon the remaining cream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe a ring of stars around the edge of each one. Top with a little mandarin zest to garnish before serving
Victoria is a London-based food writer and recipe developer. She was the Roald Dahl Museum’s first ever Gastronomic Writer in Residence and has written six books, including her latest, Too Good To Waste.