Valentine's Day: Chocolate Trifles (Gluten Free, with Dairy Free Option)

Nothing says Valentine's Day like chocolate, and the only thing better than one kind of chocolate is multiple kinds of chocolate. Behold, a chocolate trifle for you romantic candlelit dinner for two!

This, I will admit, is something I've wanted to try for a while. My companion and I are big fans of the Cadbury dessert pots, which are split into a pot of chocolate custard, and a little pot of sweets, kind of like a split pot yoghurt. Although it's not actually yoghurt, he calls is a chocolate yoghurt.

The only problem with these is that they are actually quite expensive, and I thought wouldn't it be great to try and replicate it at home! That means, I can make a load of it for my companion to enjoy without parting with eye-watering amounts of money for the twin pots in the shop. Also, when you make it at home, you don't have ingredient lists that look like this:

Like, what the actual hell are half of those ingredients.

When you make it at home, you have six ingredients. Six. Not thirty-six. It is best enjoyed immediately after the custard has completely chilled, and only assemble the desserts just before you want to eat them.

INGREDIMENTS
Makes 2 dessert cups

For chocolate custard,

• 6½ fluid ounces (185 millilitres) whole milk, or milk alternative
• 2 teaspoons (10 millilitres) cornflour
• 1 tablespoons (15 grammes) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 millilitres) vanilla essence
• Good pinch of salt
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) good quality milk chocolate, about 40% cocoa (or dairy free chocolate), chopped into pieces
• 1 or 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 millilitres) cocoa powder, to taste

To assemble,

• 5 ounces (140 grammes) chocolate cake suitable to your diet, cut into small cubes or crumbled into chunks
• Whipped cream, or cream alternative, for decoration
• Heart shaped sprinkles, for decoration
• Optional: 2 tablespoons (30 millilitres) white rum, Baileys, or liqueur of your choice

HOW-TO

First, make the custard.

• In a small saucepan, blend the cornflour, sugar, vanilla, and salt with a tablespoon (15 millilitres) of the milk until it it smooth and there are not lumps.
• Add in the rest of the milk, stirring, then bring to the boil over medium heat, continuously stirring. Once it has reached the boil, continue to boil for about three minutes.
• Remove from the heat, then add in the chocolate and stir thoroughly until completely smooth.
• Return to the heat, and boil again for another minute or two.
• Allow the custard to cool to room temperature, stirring frequently to prevent a skin from forming. This will take about half an hour.

Then assemble the desserts,

• Using two wine glasses or pudding bowls, fill each glass about halfway full with crumbled cake. If you like, you can sprinkle with some alcohol for added interest.
• Divide the custard between the glasses, then chill completely in the fridge for about an hour or two.
• Decorate with whipped cream, either by dolloping or piping on top, then sprinkle with heart shaped sprinkles.

As previously mentioned, these are best enjoyed immediately. They don't keep very well: sometimes the custard goes runny if the cornflour is not cooked thoroughly enough into the custard. So eat straightaway on cooling, just in cases.

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THIS TIME IN 2015: Strawberry Crumble Bars (Wheat Free)

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