Chocolate Cherry Trifle

At the end of a busy year we all need chocolate!!

And this pudding is a superb alternative to Christmas pudding which many children (and adults) are not too keen on! The other key benefit with this is that your little cooks can make it, they might need a little help with melting the chocolate and making the jelly but the joy for them in contributing to the Christmas Lunch or Boxing Day supper is worth it.

So enjoy this - we have made this in every after-school cooking class in and around London at the end of term, which our Mix & Munch cooks loved....I am sure you will too!

We don't take nuts into schools but this dish is wonderful with slightly roasted pistachios sprinkled on top!

And for the grown up cooks - you can add some liqueur onto the cherry's in the ramekins for a boozy hit (just remember which ones are for adults and which ones for children!)

You can make the jelly/custard/brownies from scratch or buy them all ready made - whatever is easier for you!

* Picture courtesy of our fabulous cooks at 
Fitzrovia Community Centre After-School Cooking Club

Cherry Chocolate Trifle

Serves 1 person (in a ramekin) 

2 tbsp ready-made custard 

2-3 pieces of milk chocolate - in pieces

1 small chocolate brownie

4-5 tinned cherries

2 tbsp ready made jelly

1 tbsp double cream (whipped)

5g icing sugar (sieved)

grated chocolate/sprinkles/gold spray to decorate

 1.       Put the custard into a pan with the chocolate pieces. Gently heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted into the custard. Cool.

2.      Break up and arrange the brownies in the base of the ramekin.

3.      Drain the jars of cherries (keep the liquid) and scatter over the brownies. Add 1 tbsp of the liquid

4.      Add the jelly on top

5.      Spoon the cooled chocolate custard over and chill while you make the topping.

6.      Lightly whip the cream with sieved icing sugar until soft peaks form.

7.       Add on top of the trifle.

8.      Decorate with grated chocolate/sprinkles/gold dust