Apricot and Ginger Trifle

I have been asked several times why are we so keen in supporting Faritrade.

Fairtrade is a simple yet incredibly important idea – it’s all about giving the people who produce the things you buy a fair price for their work. This may seem obvious, but lots of people in have to sell their goods at prices so low that they can’t make a decent living. Often, only a tiny bit of the money you pay for something goes to the person who actually made it.  This happens a lot when we import things from poorer countries. But is also happening more and more to our own farmers and producers, as markets are getting extremely competitive.

How would you feel if you only received a tiny bit of the money you deserved for producing something you worked so hard on? This is where the Fairtrade Foundation comes in.

The Fairtrade Foundation was set up to help producers get a fair price for their work. So when you buy something with a Fairtrade logo on it, you know that a fair amount of the money is going towards helping the community where it came from. As well as making sure that people get the money they deserve for the work they do, there is also a lot of work needed to make sure people work in suitable conditions.

There are many everyday foods and products that you can buy with Fairtrade. All are easily identifiable with a special Fairtrade sticker.

As producers, in The Tiny Marmalade kitchen we only use Fairtrade ingredients such as sugar, honey, bananas, mangos, grapefruits, strawberries and much more.

But also, as consumers, we all have the power to change things, and the power to make a difference to small growers and producers.

This week has took place the Fairtrade Business Awards during the Fairtrade Fortnight 2014. Its aim is to recognise businesses in the region that use and promote Fairtrade.

And we are so proud to announce that we have attained Silver in the Best Fairtrade Food Outlet Business Awards.

This week recipe has been fully made using Fairtrade products.

You can also make it happen. Choose Fairtrade.

WHAT DO YOU NEED

300gr Apricots
50gr Candied Ginger Pieces
500gr Fresh Custard
1 Fairtrade Vanilla pods 
100gr Flaked Almonds
300ml Double Cream

1 pot of Apricot and Peppermint Jam.

FOR THE CAKE

50gr Grated fresh ginger
1 Natural yogurt
3 Free range eggs
185gr Self raising flour
100gr Fairtrade white sugar
50gr Fairtrade brown sugar
2tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1tsp Cinnamon

WHAT DO YOU DO

Preheat the oven to 170º. In a large bowl, mix the eggs with the yogurt until smooth. Add the sugar and the olive oil. Finally add the ginger and the cinnamon. 

Sieve the flour in the mixture and whisk until fully blended.

Pour the mixture over a greased oven tin and bake for 40 min or until a spike test clean. 

Transfer the cake into a wire rack to cool completely.

Mix the custard with the vanilla seeds. You can see how to take out the seeds here.

Put some custard in a glass bowl and add the apricots and the jam. 

Cover with the cake. TIP: if you're using individual bowls, try to cut the cake with a cookie cutter, if you're using a big bowl, cut the cake into strips and line the bowl. Then add the candied ginger and cover with more custard. 

Finally, whip the cream to soft peaks. Spoon on top of the trifle and arrange the almonds and some grated ginger on top. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.