A trifle tasty if you ask me.

It's incredibly hard to find fresh blackcurrents these days. I think they majority go into Ribena making, and the rest are probably tinned. We had some on our bush in the garden (about seven!) but the birds got to them before I could net the bush in protection. I thought the hope of fresh blackcurrents was over, and then suddenly I stumbled across them yesterday whilst pottering at Spitalfields market.

I was so excited by the prospect of having found some that I only bought one punnet (it didn't cross my mind I should by two and freeze one - oops!). No matter, one would be enough for the two of us. It was now just a case of what to make with them. I didn't really have enough for a pie (despite the numerous suggestions from a certain person *cough*mum*cough* that it was the only suitable way to serve them) so decided on a trifle. I haven't had trifle for years and have never made one myself. Fortunately with a little guidance from a certain Mr Slater, I discovered that all I really needed was a layer of sponge, a layer of fruit and a layer of cream. I had all those things ready. Sponge in the freezer leftover from the garden party, a spare pot of cream in the fridge for the same reason, and of course our lovely blackcurrents.

It was a bit of a slap-dash approach, using no recipe really other than the knowledge of the order the layers needed to be in, but it worked out very well indeed. A very simple version of trifle, but just what we needed to end our lazy weekend.



Easy blackcurrent trifle (serves four small portions or two large)

I used a small square pyrex dish from Ikea and it made just enough for two portions last night and two for this evening) You can double or triple the recipe if you use a larger dish

Quarter of a sponge cake.
punnet of blackcurrents
sugar
water
double cream
honey (optional)

Layer the sponge so it tightly fills the base of the serving dish. Put the blackcurrents in a saucepan with a tablespoon of sugar and two tablespoons of water. Cook for about ten minutes on a low heat until they are just bursting and releasing lots of lushious purple juice. Pour evenly over the sponge and leave until cool to allow the sponge to soak up the juices.

When it's cool whip about 100 -150ml of double cream (I just poured a bunch into a bowl without measuring!) adding honey to taste if you wish. Whip until it is just thickening. Spoon over the fruit layer in rough "clouds" and then place the whole thing in the fridge until ready to indulge!