Peach Almond and Ginger Trifle

STEP 1: BAKE THE GINGER CAKE BASE

Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a 20 cm (8-inch) square tin. Melt the butter, dark brown sugar, golden syrup and black treacle together over low heat, stirring until smooth, then take the pan off the heat and let it cool until barely warm to the finger — any hotter and the eggs will scramble. Whisk the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a bowl. Beat the eggs and milk into the cooled syrup mixture, pour the wet into the dry and whisk to a smooth, loose batter, then fold in the chopped stem ginger. Bake 28 to 32 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean, and cool completely in the tin. The cake is better made a day ahead: it firms up and stops shedding crumb into the layer above.

STEP 2: POACH THE PEACHES

Score a shallow cross in the base of each peach. Bring the water, granulated sugar, sliced fresh ginger and lemon zest to a simmer in a saucepan. Lower the peaches in and poach 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until a knife tip slides in with slight resistance. Lift them out, slip off the skins while warm, then halve, stone and slice into wedges about 1 cm (½ inch) thick. Strain and reserve the poaching syrup, and chill the peaches and the syrup separately.

STEP 3: MAKE THE PEACH JELLY

Soak the leaf gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes until floppy. Warm 240 ml (1 cup) of the peach nectar with the granulated sugar until hot but never simmering. Squeeze the gelatine out and whisk it into the warm nectar until fully dissolved — hold it to the light and check for threads. Whisk in the remaining cold nectar and the lemon juice, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. The jelly should be at room temperature or cooler before it meets the cake.

STEP 4: FIRST ASSEMBLY — BASE AND JELLY

Cut the ginger cake into 2.5 cm (1-inch) cubes and pack them in a single even layer across the bottom of the trifle bowl, pressing them gently level. An even base is what makes every layer above it read straight through the glass. Spoon over 3 tablespoons of the reserved peach poaching syrup and no more — a saturated base will float in the jelly and blur the line. Arrange half the poached peach wedges over the cake, flat against the glass where they will show, then pour the jelly gently over the back of a spoon held just above the fruit so the stream does not dig into the layer. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, until fully set and firm to the touch. Do not go on until it is set.

STEP 5: MAKE THE ALMOND CUSTARD

Warm the whole milk, cream and crushed toasted almonds together until hot but not boiling. Take off the heat, cover and infuse 30 minutes, then strain, pressing the almonds firmly, and discard them. Whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar and cornflour to a pale paste. Reheat the infused milk until hot, then pour it into the yolks in a thin stream, whisking hard. Return it to the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly and getting into the corners, until it thickens and just begins to bubble; cook 1 minute more to take the raw starch off. Off the heat, stir in the amaretto and salt, strain into a shallow dish, press cling film onto the surface and chill until cold and thick, at least 2 hours. A cold, thick custard sits on set jelly without bleeding into it.

STEP 6: BAKE THE AMARETTI BISCUITS

Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Whisk the egg whites with the salt to soft peaks, then add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking to a firm, glossy meringue, and whisk in the almond extract. Fold in the ground almonds in three additions; the mixture should be a thick, sticky paste that holds a shape. Roll teaspoon-sized balls, drop them into the icing sugar and turn to coat generously — the sugar is what gives amaretti their cracked tops — and space them on the sheets. Bake 16 to 18 minutes, until cracked, pale gold and dry to the touch. They will be soft coming out and crisp as they cool. Cool completely on the sheets. This makes roughly 24; you need 10 to 12 for the top and the rest keep in a tin.

STEP 7: SECOND ASSEMBLY — CUSTARD AND CREAM

Beat the chilled custard smooth with a whisk, spoon it over the set jelly in dollops and spread it level with an offset spatula, working from the centre outwards so you do not drag it against the glass. Whip the very cold double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla bean paste to soft, spoonable peaks and stop short of stiff — overwhipped cream tears the custard beneath it. Spread the cream over the custard in an even layer, sealing to the glass all the way round, and swirl the top lightly. Chill at least 1 hour, or overnight.

STEP 8: MAKE THE HONEYCOMB ON THE DAY OF SERVING

Line a rimmed sheet with parchment and have the sifted bicarbonate of soda measured and within reach before you start — there is no time to fetch it. In a tall, heavy saucepan, stir the caster sugar, golden syrup and water together over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and boil to 150°C (300°F) on a sugar thermometer, a deep amber. Take the pan off the heat, tip in the bicarbonate of soda all at once and whisk for 3 to 4 seconds only. It will foam violently and climb the pan. Pour it straight onto the sheet and do not spread or touch it — knocking it collapses the bubbles. Leave 1 hour to set hard, then break into shards and keep in an airtight tin.

STEP 9: FINISH AND SERVE

No more than 30 minutes before serving, arrange the remaining poached peach wedges over the cream. Top with 10 to 12 whole amaretti and a generous scatter of honeycomb shards, grouping rather than dotting them so the top reads as a deliberate crown, and scatter over the toasted flaked almonds. Serve straight away: the honeycomb starts to soften on contact with the cream and should still snap when it reaches the table.