Mulled Wine Trifle

INGREDIENTS FOR 24

24 short glasses or 24 tall glasses and 24 long spoons

zest of 2 oranges
zest of 2 lemons
2 tbsp grated ginger
2 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
250ml vanilla vodka
10 cardamom pods
500ml port
2 bottles of red wine, Shiraz works really well
300g sugar

3 tsps good quality vanilla extract
50g of sheet gelatine, softened in cold water, drained
24 tbsp mixed soft fruit (e.g. strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)

                                                    handful flaked almonds, toasted, to decorate

                                                    800g fresh custard

                                                    2 pints double cream, whipped until soft peaks form  

DIRECTIONS

Gently heat the orange and lemon zest, ginger, cinnamon stick, cloves, vanilla vodka, cardamom pods, port, red wine vanilla extract and sugar over a low heat until hot, but not boiling as the alcohol will evaporate rather defeating the object of the pudding!

Strain the mixture through a sieve onto the softened gelatine in a large bowl and give the mixture a good stir.

Pour enough of the jelly mixture into each glass to fill it about a third of the way up.

Chill in the fridge overnight, or until completely set.

I’m ashamed (I'm not really!!) to say I used squirty cream out of a can and it looked and tasted just as good. The key is to use good quality vanilla vodka and the same with the vanilla extract.

If you want to make it all yourself, mix half of the whipped cream with the custard in a bowl until well combined. Spoon on top of the jelly mixture. 
Finally, divide the remaining whipped cream between the serving glasses and decorate with the mixed berries and toasted flaked almonds.

You could put a biscuit base in the bottom, but they are so yummy you may just be over egging the pudding.