This year has been a helluva year. Lots of change and I'm sadly feeling a bit drained. However one must still chip in for the festive feasting. So this year the good old trifle reborn in a few ways. I've rehashed two English trifles, one tropical trifle and a mango coconut trifle in the past 4 weeks. This is a recipe for the latter as requested by my cousins.
There's not really much cooking in a trifle. You prepare the jelly ingredients night before so it has time to set. Then whip the cream and assemble a few hours before the party.
The layers from the bottom to top are:
Pieces of Swiss roll, Chantilly cream, fresh mango, coconut agar jelly, mango jelly, custard and shredded dry coconut.
I use packet mango jelly and reconstitute according to the packet. Generally you stir one cup of boiling water while sprinkling the jelly crystals slowly. Then add 200mL of cold water and pour into a rectangular container of some sort. I use a rectangular Pyrex dish.
Coconut agar jelly is made with packet clear unflavoured agar (sold at Asian grocers), a can of coconut milk, about 125g(?) of sugar. I'm not really sure about the quantities. Basically I half the recommended amount of sugar recommended on the Agar Jelly packaging. I also subtract the volume of coconut milk ( 400mL ) from the amount of water needed. To make the jelly you bring all the ingredients to the boil and pour into a rectangular container and put it in the fridge. If you do not bring to the boil it will not set. If you cool to room temperature before refrigerating your jelly will separate into a clear layer and an opaque layer. However this is still edible but I guess it lets the presentation down a bit.
I make Chantilly cream immediately prior to assembling the trifle. This is made by whipping 300mL of whipping cream, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
I used 2 ripe Kensington mangoes in the trifle shown in the picture. I grabbed a store bought swiss roll but if you cant' get any sponge slab will do. I also used store bought custard from the dairy section. The topping is shredded dry coconut which you can buy at Woolworths under their Macro brand. I like it better than dessicated coconut which is too fine.
Enjoy!
