tri-fle: (noun) a small thing of little value or importance

Black Forest Trifle
with leftover Christmas pud!

Is it too early to be thinking about Christmas leftovers? (It is never too early for me.) So I just wanted to give you a heads up on an easy but delicious way to use up any leftover Christmas pudding or cake. Personally I think it might actually be nicer than the main event!

This is a very flexible recipe – I used kirsch to moisten the pudding because that’s what I had – but you could use any booze or liqueur. Cointreau of Calvados would work a treat too.

I also had some black cherries preserved in brandy, these topped the pudding, together with cream, clementine zest and some grated chocolate. (If I had had some frozen autumn fruit berries, they would have been rather nice instead.)

It may be a bit of a mish-mash, but I'd like to suggest that you try my Black Forest trifle; no mere bagatelle this. It is a small thing of huge fruit flavours, Christmas spices and enormous satisfaction. Serve in shot glasses and bring a smile to everyone's faces!

Skill level: Easy

ingredients:
leftover Christmas pudding (or cake), roughly chopped
kirsch
double cream
cream cheese
icing sugar, sieved
juice and zest of 1-2 x clementines
preserved cherries, in kirsch
dark chocolate

directions:

1. Place the chopped Christmas pudding (or cake) in the bottom of a large glass bowl.
2. Sprinkle over enough kirsch to moisten the pudding, but not saturate it. Leave it to soak for at least 1 hour.
3. Whisk together the double cream and cream cheese with a little icing sugar. Stir through 2 teaspoons of clementine juice.
4. Assemble the trifle by placing a little of the moistened pudding at the bottom of a small bowl or shot glass.
5. Add a couple of preserved cherries, a dollop of the cream mixture. Sprinkle over a little clementine zest and some grated dark chocolate.