Christmas can be a difficult time for people with sensory issues and Autism. Sharing food with family and friends can be problematic and painful when presented with challenging textures, flavours and colours.
Amber (not her real name), like some children with autism, prefers only pale, yellow or white foods. Pasta and potato are on top of her list.
When catching up with Amber she knows I will always make her favourite potato salad. And when we spent Christmas together last year, I made sure our "dessert to share" was a pale-coloured trifle.
This recipe is in honour of Amber, and I hope you can share it with someone just like her.
You can double the recipe to feed a crowd.
Ingredients
- 500ml Custard ( I cheated and used Foster Clark's long-life custard)
- Un-iced sponge cake (without the jam) or another pale cake, like Madeira cake
- 425 g sliced peaches (or pears) in syrup
- 1 packet of yellow jelly – Mango or passionfruit
- Cream
- Mango, Banana, or other pale fruits
Tools
- Kettle
- Bowl for the jelly to set
- Metal spoon
- Measuring cups
- Knife
- A large glass bowl for serving - or individual glasses for individual serves
- Whisk or beater
- Bowl for whisking cream
- Piping bag (optional)
Make ahead
Prepare the jelly according to packet directions and allow it to set. This takes approx 3 hours, so you might want to do it the night before.
What to do
- Cut the cake into cubes and place it in the bottom of the glass serving bowl, or the glasses for individual serves. Use the syrup from the fruit and pour about half the syrup over the cake.
- Pour half the custard over the cake.
- Rough the jelly with a fork to break it up a little. Next, add a layer of jelly over the custard. Then top with the fruit, then the remaining custard.
- Whip some of the cream to decorate. Spoon the cream into the piping bag and pipe decoration over the top of the trifle. Slice mango, banana and arrange on top of trifle.
- Allow settling in the fridge until ready to serve.
- You can make the recipe a day ahead.
