Paul Ainsworth’s strawberry trifle

Method

1. Put the frozen berries, sugar, wine and 350ml water in a heatproof bowl and cover. Set it over a pan of simmering water (ensuring the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and cook for 45 minutes, making sure the water doesn’t evaporate from the pan (top it up if you need to). Strain the mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Whizz the remaining solids in a blender until smooth, then transfer to a piping bag and keep in the fridge.
2. While the collected liquid is still hot, soak the 4 gelatine leaves in cold water for 2 minutes until jelly-like. Remove from the bowl and squeeze out the excess water. Measure out 500ml of the berry liquid, then stir in the softened gelatine until dissolved. Add the strawberries and leave to cool to room temperature. Once cool, pour the jelly mixture into the trifle bowl. Take the sponge finger pieces and layer them into the strawberry jelly mixture, then put in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
3. To make the custard, put the egg yolks, sugar, custard powder and 50ml of the milk in a mixing bowl and whisk into a paste. Put the remaining milk, the cream and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiled, pour half the milk mixture into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture and combine, then return this to the saucepan and heat over a low heat, stirring continuously until you have a beautiful thick, glossy custard. Season with the salt.
4. Soak the 2 gelatine leaves in cold water for a few minutes, then squeeze out the excess water and stir them into the warm custard until dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then pour over the set jelly, making sure you have an even layer all over. Cover the bowl and return to the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
5. For the topping, take a mixing bowl and whisk together all the ingredients except the double cream. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the double cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold in until stiff. Pipe or spoon onto the cold custard layer and put the trifle bowl back in the fridge.
6. Next, make the ‘hundreds and thousands’. Put the popcorn kernels in a pan covered with a lid (or in a covered bowl in the microwave) and heat until popped. If cooking in a pan, keep them moving so they don’t burn.
7. Take a small frying pan and melt the sugar over a medium heat to a golden caramel, then remove from the heat and carefully add the butter, piece by piece (it will sputter), stirring continuously until fully mixed in. Add the sea salt, toasted hazelnuts and popcorn, stirring to fully coat the popcorn in the nutty, buttery caramel. Transfer to a tray lined with baking paper, leave to cool, then break into small clusters.
8. To finish the final layer of your trifle masterpiece, pipe dollops or dots of the reserved berry purée all over the topping, then add the nutty popcorn clusters. Grate over the white chocolate and finish with some orange zest. Stand back and take a bow!