I recently read an article on the School of Life website entitled ‘Food as Therapy' which asserts that what we eat and cook has benefits far beyond just nutrition. We all know this of course but food, it seems, is an interesting tool when analysing our emotional needs. It has psychological value.
As well as sustenance, we eat for comfort, self-soothing and reward and we dine with others to experience conviviality and to build relationships. We cook and serve to show care and respect.
This eloquently written essay made me think about the intention of my cooking. Would I prepare a certain meal for my siblings and an altogether different repast for neighbours, friends or business associates?
Why, for example, did I choose to prepare the following meal for some friends recently: grilled sardines and then a Middle Eastern style chicken and rice dish, finishing with a quince and chestnut trifle? The meal was strong on flavour, robust with spices and used tried-and-true ingredients.
Was I trying to convey my belief in the strength of our enduring, firm friendships? Was I matching the full-flavoured courses with the depth of my friends’ characters? Or was it simply convenient for me to prepare those dishes on that day?
It’s an interesting line of reflection, don’t you agree? I’m still working on my answers. And thinking about what to serve my boss when she comes over for dinner.
Meanwhile, I’ve put together the recipe for the dessert. Could this Quince and Chestnut Trifle with its layers of different flavours and textures perhaps reflect all our complexities or is it simply just a gorgeous dessert I love to prepare? No trifling matter, all this cooking and thinking.
QUINCE AND CHESTNUT TRIFLE
Enough for 10 people
Prepare this dish in stages and it will prove to be easier than it initially looks. Having done this, it is a suitable dessert for a large number of people and will minimise the time in the kitchen towards the end of the meal. The trifle components are: baked quinces, almond butter cake, sherry syrup, chestnut mousse, whipped cream and couverture chocolate sprinkles. You may have some of each component left over, which will be great for creating other desserts.
Baked Quinces
2 lemons, juiced
1 litre water
3 large quinces
700 gm caster sugar
900 ml water
Preheat oven to 120°C.
Combine the lemon juice and water in a bowl large enough to accommodate the quince pieces. Peel, core and cut the quinces into quarters or eighths, reserving the peel and cores. As you peel and cut each quince, immediately submerge the pieces into the acidulated water to prevent oxidation and discolouration.
Combine caster sugar and 900ml water in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil.
Drain the quinces and place in an ovenproof dish and pour over the sugar syrup to cover. Wrap the quince cores and skins in muslin and submerge into the syrup with the quinces. Cover the surface with baking paper and cover with a lid or foil.
Bake for 4-6 hours until the quinces are a rich ruby red colour. Allow to cool in the syrup. Discard the cores and skins. If not using all the quinces, carefully transfer the excess to sterilised jars. The quinces will keep for months in the fridge.
Almond Butter Cake
175 gm unsalted butter, cubed and softened
150 gm caster sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
275 gm Revenge GF Almond Plain Flour Mix (see below)
2 teaspoons Revenge GF baking powder
3 tablespoons milk
Preheat oven to 175°C.
Grease a 20-22cm spring form cake tin and line it with baking paper.
Cream butter and sugar until light and pale. Add egg yolks one at a time and beat until well combined. Add the vanilla. Then fold in the flour mix and baking powder, gradually adding the milk as the batter thickens.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. With a metal spoon stir a large spoonful of egg whites into the cake mix and then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites.
Spoon the mix into the cake tin and smooth the surface.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a testing skewer comes out clean.
Cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes. The cake can be made a day before it is required for the trifle.
Revenge Gluten-free Almond Plain Flour Mix
280 gm almond meal
210 gm besan flour
280 gm fine white rice flour
175 gm corn flour
(Store in the fridge.)
Revenge Gluten-free Baking Powder
4 tablespoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons bi-carb soda
2 tablespoons cornflour
Sherry Syrup
200 ml sugar syrup, made by bringing 110gm sugar and 110ml water to the boil and then simmering for 5 minutes. Cool and store in a sterilised jar.
100 ml syrup from the baked quinces
100 ml quality sweet sherry, such as Pedro Ximenez or Oloroso
Combine all the liquids in a small saucepan and bring to the boil.
Cool and store in a sterilised jar.
Chestnut Mousse
439 gm tin unsweetened chestnut puree
110 gm caster sugar
600 ml milk
3.5 sheets leaf gelatine, titanium strength
500 ml cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Place the chestnut puree and 80gm of the caster sugar in a saucepan. Gradually add the milk a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir over medium heat until well combined. Bring mixture almost to the boil.
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 1 minute until pliable. Squeeze to remove excess water. Remove chestnut puree mix from the heat and add the gelatine leaves, stirring until well combined. Strain the mix, pushing it through the strainer with the back of a spoon and discard any remaining solids. Set aside to become completely cold.
Whisk cream, 30gm caster sugar and pure vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Fold into the cold chestnut mix.
Pour into a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until set. It can be made up to two days before required.
Whipped Cream
300 ml pouring cream, whipped
Chocolate
1 small block of couverture chocolate
To Assemble
Assemble the trifle in individual glass ramekins or glasses.
Drain 20 small slices of quince. (Return the quince syrup to the jar to be used for other purposes.)
Cut a 1.5cm slice from the cake and then cut it into approximately 5cm squares, or a size that best suits the glass. Continue until you have 20 squares, ie 2 squares per serve.
Place one cake square in the bottom of a glass. Pour a tablespoon of sherry syrup over the cake. Top with a slice of drained quince. Top this with a tablespoon of the chestnut mousse. Repeat the layering.
(The trifles can be prepared to this stage a few hours before required and kept covered in the fridge.)
Top with a dollop of the whipped cream.
Using a microplane, grate couverture over the cream.
Serve with a small glass of Pedro Ximenez.
Of course, this trifle can be assembled in one large, decorative glass bowl.