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FOOD TALK
Proof of the pudding
Pushpesh Pant
 Young
Prem Tanwal hated
it when the family forced him to join Windsor Lodge — a heritage
hotel under the ITC umbrella in Ranikhet (Uttarakhand) as a kitchen
trainee when he dropped out of school. But as his mentor Chef Chandan
introduced him to continental classics he slowly warmed up to joys of
cooking and baking. In a couple of years he has mastered the art of
rustling up excellent Dak Bungalow fare — the legacy of the Raj. His
roasts, pies and puddings are good enough to make us drool. The
amusing bit is that the young man insists on calling the trifle
pudding as truffle pudding. Ah truffles! But that is a different
story. Its best to live in the present and enjoy what is served so
well prepared. Prem has since moved to another resort nearby but this
recipe allows us to indulge in our just desserts at will.
Trifle pudding
Ingredients
 Plain sponge cake 1
pound
Jelly 1 packet
Milk 2 1/2 cups
Custard powder 2 tbsp
Sugar 4 tbsp or to taste
Cream (whipped) 200 ml
Assorted fruits 500 gm
Pineapple slices (fresh
or canned)
Peaches (fresh or
canned)
Mangoes (If in season)
100 gm each
Seedless grapes 1 bunch
Kiwi fruit 1 large
Dried apricots 2-3
(preferably Turkish yellow variety, chopped)
Strawberries 8-10
Apple sweet and firm 1
(peeled and chopped or sliced)
Method
Cut the fruits into bite-sized pieces and keep aside. Prepare the
custard and jelly as per instructions on the pack. After the jelly
sets keep it in the refrigerator — not in the freezer.
Preparation
Layer a large glass bowl with a layer of sponge cake. Sprinkle a few
drops of orange juice and spread a layer of jelly on cake. Top it with
a layer of fruit and custard. Place another layer of sponge cake and
some more jelly, fruit cocktail and whipped cream and continue till
all the goodies are used up. Save some fruits for garnish. Add a spoon
of bitter marmalade or blackberry preserve on the top.
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