A Proper Trifle Recipe

A Proper Trifle Recipe

Don’t use cheap plonk, take the dish seriously and use something delicious. I used a Lustau East India Solera sherry. It was sensational! Make everything in advance, put it together minus the cream the day before.

Sponge

• 4 eggs

• 125g caster sugar

• 125g flour

Preheat the oven to 200°C

Butter a 25cm x 25 cm shallow baking tray and line it with non stick baking paper.

Beat the eggs and sugar together until very thick, pale and fluffy.

This will take about 5 minutes of fast beating. I use an electric mixer.

Fold in the flour and pour in an even layer into the paper lined tin.

Place in the oven and bake about 10 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Reserve.

Custard

• 6 egg yolks

• ½ cup caster sugar

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 500ml full cream milk

Put the egg yolks into a large heatproof bowl and mix well. Reserve.

Put the sugar, vanilla and milk into a saucepan over moderate heat and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and pour a little onto the eggs, whisking continuously.

Add a little more hot milk mixture and whisk, then slowly add all of the milk mixture, stirring continuously.

Once all of the milk has been added, place the bowl over a saucepan half full with barely simmering water. Stir with a whisk until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat, strain into a clean bowl, cover with a circle of greaseproof paper to prevent a skin forming and cool then cover and chill. Reserve.

Assembly

• 250mls good quality sweet sherry

• 250g each fresh raspberries and hulled, halved strawberries.

• 300ml cream, whipped

• ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

Choose a large deep bowl about 2.5 litres capacity.

Break the sponge into large bitesized pieces and make an even layer in the bottom of the bowl.

Sprinkle the sherry evenly over the top.

Pour the chilled custard over the sherry soaked sponge.

Sprinkle the berries on top.

Spread the cream evenly on top and finish by sprinkling the almonds on top.

Serves 6-8.