In keeping with our Colonial English, Polo Picnic theme, we arrive at this Saffron Poached Apricot Almond Trifle for dessert. The saffron, cardamom, almond and apricot flavors all nod to the Persian and Indian origins of polo. The flavors blend and meld and enhance each other. Each flavor is subtle but distinctive with lots of earthy, savory, floral and sweet notes to delight your pallet. Even though there’s a plenty of Eastern flavors present throughout the dessert, a classic English trifle? Well, it doesn’t get much more English than that. I know what you’re thinking, “A trifle, at a picnic?” I’ll admit that hauling the glass trifle bowl out on a picnic is a bit of a chore, but it’s go gorgeous, I deemed it “worth it,” and you might too. That said, I had a small band of merry helpers; if you aren’t up for all that, a large clear plastic bowl with a lid works rather well in a pinch. Just keep the Saffron Poached Apricot Almond Trifle on the drink ice until you’re almost ready to serve. The delicate spongey cake, creamy custard, and brandy laced fruit make this Saffron Poached Apricot Almond Trifle the perfect cool down after some spicy Salmon Burgers with Curry Mayo. The Saffron Poached Apricot Almond Trifle is elegant an unexpected, even at my untraditional Polo Picnic.
Saffron Poached Apricot Almond Trifle
Ingredients
poached apricots
- 15 cardamom pods
- 2 cups dry white wine
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
- pinch sea salt
- 1 cup dried apricots
cake
- 1 cup amaretti cookies
- 1 sponge cake; in ½ inch cubes*
jam brandy mixture
- ½ cup brandy
- ½ cup apricot jam room temperature
- ¾ cup approximate poaching liquid from apricots
vanilla custard
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste or use a vanilla pod to infuse or vanilla extract
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 2 cups milk I used 1%
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
whipped topping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons jam brandy mixture
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- fresh apricots nectarines, or peaches for garnish
Instructions
- Over medium heat in a small or medium sauce pan add cardamom pods, white wine, sugar, lemon juice, saffron and salt. Bring to a simmer. Add the apricots.
- Reduce temperature and cover.
- Cook until softened and remove from heat to cool**. To cool faster, pull the apricots out of the liquid and set aside.
- Add the jam and the brandy to the warm poaching liquid and whisk until consistent. If you need to reheat a little that’s fine.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Reserve one of the whole poached apricots.
- Rough chop the remaining apricots.
- Crumble the amaretti into a glass bowl.
- Sprinkle half of the chopped apricots over the amaretti.
- Drizzle half of the jam brandy mixture on the amaretti.
- Spread the cubed sponge cake over the top.
- Spoon on the rest of the apricots and all but 2 tablespoons of the liquid over the cake.
- Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to complete the assembly.
- For the custard, put the cream and milk in a medium sauce pan and heat until almost boiling. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. If you’re using a vanilla pod you’ll want to let it infuse for 10-20 minutes.
- Beat the yolks and sugar in a medium bowl.
- Add ½ cup of the milk/cream mix and whisk until smooth. Add another cup of the milk and mix well. Add the remaining milk and add back into the sauce pan.
- Cook over a low heat and whisk frequently until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Don’t let it boil.
- Pour into the bowl, cover, and let cool (if you’re speeding this along, 20 minutes in the freezer followed by some time in the fridge works well.
- To assemble, spoon the custard over the apricots and cake. Cover and put back in the fridge.
- Add the final 2 cups of heavy whipping cream to a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat until it holds its shape, gradually adding the granulated sugar.
- When soft peaks for, beat in the 2 tablespoons reserved jam brandy mixture and mix until firm but still cream.
- Spoon the cream over the trifle.
- Center the reserved apricot. Surround the edged of the bowl with slices of stone fruit. Check out all those gorgeous layers.
Notes
**You may have noticed this is the same poaching liquid from my Saffron Poached Pear Cakes. I used it since I had some already in the fridge from last time I made the cakes. And this is why I never throw anything away…
You can make the cake, poached apricots, and custard a day ahead and assemble the day you instead to serve the trifle. In fact, many trifles are made a day ahead and refrigerated so the flavors really absorb together. I encourage that for both of my tiramsu recipes, however, I like this made day of because I like the cake to have a little integrity. If you do make ahead, don’t add the custard or whipped cream until the day of.
This looks fantastic! Delicious and unique combination, thanks for sharing!
Now you have another vegan challenge!
I never thought to poach fruit with saffron, that is a great idea.
Once I did it the first time, I just kept on incorporating it. So so good.
This looks just heavenly! I bet it tastes even better!
This recipe looks fantastic – ESPECIALLY the jam brandy mixture. Looking forward to giving this a try! Thanks for sharing Barrett!
This is one of those dishes that just turns out so much better than you can even plan for. Really fun flavors abound.
what a fancy recipe! I can’t wait to try this!
Please do, and let me know how you like it. And while it looks really fancy, it’s kind of really just a delicious bowl of mess! So good.
I love the Indian spices you used. I have a pantry full of them plus you made my favorite dessert, trifle, that reminds me of my childhood.
It all works perfectly together.
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