Our Raspberry and Pistachio Praline Trifle is a dessert triumph

To make the Praline, lightly grease an oven tray and line it with baking paper. Place sugar and ⅓ cup water in a medium saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Gently boil, without stirring, for about 15 mins, or until golden. Remove from the heat. Add pistachios. Pour onto the prepared tray and quickly spread into an even layer. Stand until set.

Break praline into shards. Reserve a few shards for decoration. Process remaining shards in a food processor until coarsely crushed.

To make the Coulis, place raspberries, sugar and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Boil for about 2 mins, or until thickened. Remove from heat. Cool. Stir in liqueur. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cool.

Beat cream and icing sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add mascarpone and vanilla. Beat until firm peaks form.

Using a 6.5cm star-shaped cookie cutter, cut six stars from each sponge. Reserve sponge offcuts.

One at a time, dip the pale side of six stars into coulis. Press coulis side of stars around the side of a large glass serving dish (about 12-cup capacity). Scatter half of the sponge offcuts in the centre of the dish, spoon over half the coulis and sprinkle with 2 tbsp crushed praline. Top with half the cream mixture and one-third the raspberries. Sprinkle with another 2 tbsp praline.

Dip the remaining sponge stars in coulis and press around the side of the dish in another layer. Repeat layers with remaining sponge offcuts, coulis and another 2 tbsp crushed praline.

Sprinkle with half the remaining raspberries. Spoon over the remaining cream mixture. Refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving.

Just before serving, sprinkle over a little more crushed praline and remaining raspberries. Decorate with reserved praline shards.