Gooseberry And Ginger Trifle - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 cups gooseberries
2/3 cup apple juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp brandy
1 None vanilla bean
2 cups milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 medium egg yolks
1 tbsp confectioners' sugar
8 oz gingersnaps
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp sliced almonds

Preparation

Snip the stem and bud end off the gooseberries. Put in a saucepan with the apple juice and 1/2 cup sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently until the gooseberries are soft but not falling apart. Stir in the brandy and leave to cool.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds in a saucepan with the milk and bring almost to a boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Blend the cornstarch in a bowl with the remaining sugar and egg yolks. Pour the milk into the bowl, whisking well. Return to the saucepan and cook gently, stirring continuously until the custard has thickened. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar and leave to cool.
Crush the gingersnaps and layer in a serving dish with the gooseberries. Pour the cooled custard on top. Whip the cream to medium peaks and spoon on top. Sprinkle with the almonds and chill until ready to serve.