Choc-caramel sparkling strawberry trifle

Have yourself a berry merry Christmas with this divine dessert.

• 3 x 250g punnets strawberries, hulled, sliced
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar mixture
• 1 cup sparkling wine
• 2 x 85g packets strawberry jelly
• 380g double unfilled chocolate sponge cake
• 500g tub thick vanilla-bean custard
• 300ml thickened cream, whipped

Caramel sauce

• 1 1/3 cups caster sugar
• 300ml thickened cream
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Energy 2203kJ	Fat saturated 14.10g
Fat Total 22.80g	Carbohydrate sugars g
Carbohydrate Total 71.10g	Dietary Fibre 1.50g
Protein 6.90g	Cholesterol 58.00mg
Sodium 328.00mg

All nutrition values are per serve.

1. Step 1

   Make Caramel sauce Place caster sugar and 1/2 cup cold water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, without stirring, for 10 minutes or until sugar turns light golden in colour (see note) Remove from heat. Carefully stir in cream (mixture will spatter at this stage so be careful). Stir in brown sugar. Return to heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 8 minutes or until mixture thickens. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover. Refrigerate until cold.

2. Step 2

   Combine strawberries, icing sugar and sparkling wine in a large bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes.

3. Step 3

   Make jelly in a large jug or bowl, following packet directions. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until jelly is just beginning to set (mixture should have a thick, syrupy consistency).

4. Step 4

   Meanwhile, cut cake into cubes. Place 1/2 the cake cubes in the base of a 12-cup- capacity serving dish. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the strawberry liquid. Top with 1⁄2 the custard, spreading to level. Dollop with caramel. Arrange remaining cake cubes over caramel. Drizzle with another 1⁄4 cup of the strawberry liquid. Top with remaining custard. Cover and refrigerate until jelly is ready. (see step 3).

5. Step 5

   Strain 3/4 of the strawberries from syrup mixture. Place on a plate lined with paper towel. Pat dry. Stir strawberries through jelly. Spoon jelly over custard. Cover. Refrigerate trifle and remaining strawberry mixture for 3 hours, or overnight, until firm. 6 Dollop whipped cream on top of trifle. Strain remaining strawberries, reserving 1/3 cup liquid. Arrange strawberries over cream. Drizzle with reserved strawberry syrup. Serve immediately.

Use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush any sugar crystals that form around edge of pan.

The caramel can be made up to 3 days before serving.

For a thick strawberry syrup for serving, strain strawberries and simmer syrup in a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon caster sugar for 5 minutes.