About 1.5 cups of ½ inch diced brioche, untoasted (optional)
For the syllabub
¼cupdry white wine
2tablespoonsGran Marnier
1tablespoonground dried angelica seed(optional)
Zest of one orange
¼cupgranulated sugar
1cupheavy cream
Instructions
Heat the wine and Gran Marnier until almost simmering, then pour over the orange zest and angelica, cover, and infuse overnight, or at least a few hours. The next day, strain through a fine sieve and keep chilled.
Whip the cream and sugar to soft peaks, then slowly drizzle in the wine mixture. You want the cream to be fluffy and lightly stiff, but be careful not to whip it on too high of a speed since it will break.
Whisk the fruit preserves to loosen them, adding a teaspoon or so of maple or water as needed until it can be spooned/dolloped.
To assemble the syllabubs, take glasses, like martini glasses or another you would use for pudding, and begin by layering a few pieces of brioche, then tablespoons of the whipped cream mixture, and spoonfuls of jam, repeating until the glasses are nearly filled to the brim, finishing with a dollop of the angelica whipped cream mixture.
Garnish with the candied angelica, mint, and almonds. The syllabubs can be assembled ahead of time and refriegerated for an hour or so and and garnished right before serving.
Notes
Lots of ways to vary this, but here's a few ideas:
Mix the jam directly into the cream gently, but not completely, to leave a nice swirl pattern
Switch out the brioche for meringue, or layers of toasted, lightly sweetened breadcrumbs. If you try meringues, the syllabub can be frozen lightly before serving.