Black Forest Trifle

½ cup The Good Oil extra virgin rapeseed oil

⅔ cup dark cocoa powder

1 cup boiling water

1 ½ cups caster sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup plain yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla paste

1 ¾  cups plain flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup caster sugar

¼ cup cornflour

3 egg yolks

Pinch of salt

4 cups milk

90g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

90g milk chocolate, roughly chopped

2 cups of frozen cherries

½ cup of sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

300ml cream

A handful of fresh cherries, for garnishing (optional)

A few squares of chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 160c degrees. Line a sponge tin with baking paper and lightly spray with oil then set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve cocoa powder in the hot water, whisking until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, sugar and eggs until well combined and lighter in colour. Add the cocoa mixture, yoghurt and vanilla and beat until the batter is smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to wet and whisk to fully incorporate – it will be quite a liquid batter. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes in the tin, then carefully turn out to cool completely.

Make the custard by whisking together the sugar, cornflour and egg yolks in a medium saucepan until lightened in colour. Add the milk and salt, and beat until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps. Bring the custard to a simmer over a medium heat, whisking continuously. Let it boil for 1 minute, still whisking; then remove from the heat and pour the custard over the chopped chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl. Allow to stand for a few minutes to melt the chocolate, then mix well and cover with cling film lightly pressed onto the top of the custard. Refrigerate for at least two hours, to give it time to cool and thicken completely.

Make the compote by combining the cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a small pot and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Turn the temperature down and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The compote should be glossy, and the liquid reduced and thickened. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate till cool.

To assemble the trifle, cut the chocolate cake into small squares with a serrated knife. Add half the sponge pieces to a trifle dish, spoon over half the custard, then top by drizzling over half the compote. Repeat the layers again with the remaining cake, custard and compote.

Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, then dollop it onto the trifle, and decorate with the fresh cherries and chopped chocolate, then serve.