Spiced South African plum, cherry and coffee trifle with cardamom crumb

Reuben Riffel’s twist on a conventional trifle showcases the beauty and sweetness of South African plums - this really is a must-try recipe!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 store-bought madeira loaf cake

Spiced plum and cherry compote

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 220g caster sugar

• 6 South African plums, stones removed and quartered

• 300g cherries, pitted and halved

• handful of extra whole cherries to serve

• 1 extra plum, stone removed and sliced to serve

Cardamom crumb

• 150g plain flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp ground cardamom

•  75g demerara sugar

• 110g unsalted butter, cut into cubes

• 2 tbsp milk

Coffee syrup

• 1 tbsp instant strong coffee

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 175ml Kahlua

Mascarpone cream

• 500g mascarpone

• 600ml double cream

• 2 tsp vanilla bean extract

• 80g icing sugar sifted

Method

1. For the compote, add together the sugar and 500ml of water into a saucepan and stir over heat until the sugar dissolves. Then add the cinnamon and fruit. Cook for 30 mins or until the fruit is tender to the touch. Cool completely and then chill in fridge.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a large oven tray with greaseproof paper.

3. For the cardamom crumb, sift the flour, baking powder, cardamom, and a ¼ tsp of salt into a bowl.

4. Stir in the sugar and then rub in the butter and milk with your fingers until clumps form.

5. Scatter the mixture in the prepared tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, occasionally, tossing and breaking up the mixture, until golden and crisp.

6. Set aside to cool completely and then store in an airtight container until required.

7. For the coffee syrup, bring 250ml of water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add the coffee, sugar and Kahlua and stir until the coffee and sugar dissolve. Transfer to a jar, cool, and then refrigerate until required.

8. For the mascarpone cream, whisk the ingredients in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble:

1. Trim the outsides of the Madeira loaf and brush all over with the coffee syrup. Then cut the cake into rough cubes (approx. 3cm).

2. Place a layer of sponge cubes on the bottom of a glass bowl and brush them with extra coffee syrup.

3. Remove the plums and cherries from the compote with a slotted spoon.

4. Place the plums and cherries over the layer of sponge and drizzle with some of the compote syrup.

5. Top with half the mascarpone cream.

6. Scatter the cardamom crumbs over the cream.

7. Repeat the process with the rest of the sponge, plums, cherries, mascarpone cream and cardamom crumbs.

8. Finish by topping with the extra cherries and plum.

Photography and styling by Costas Millas

By Reuben Riffel