Christmas English Trifle

This is what we will be having for our dessert tonight. English Trifle.

This is a recipe I have had for over 35 years. I call it Patty's Trifle, but only because my friend Patty shared the recipe. Not really sure where it originated. All I know is it has been a family favourite for many years.

I baked the cake yesterday morning and made the custard. Last night before bed, I assembled the trifle.

The cake is cut horizontally, and each slice is brushed with my friend Leola Witt-McNie's home-made raspberry jam, thinned out with sherry. The cake is cut into cubes and layered into the Trifle bowl, jam side up. Each layer is sprinkled with sherry, drizzled with custard and topped with fresh berries. I used a combination of blackberries and raspberries. The final layer is cake, jam side down, more sherry and then covered and left in the fridge overnight, allowing all the flavours and the custard to meld with the cake.

 Finished off with whipped heavy cream and toasted almonds.

Patty's English Trifle

======================

Cake

1/4 pound butter

1 cup fruit sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

3/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon Baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

Custard

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon Corn Starch

2-1/3 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Raspberry preserves

Cream Sherry

Fresh Raspberries or Blueberries

Whipping cream

.

Preheat oven to 350 Cream butter and sugar together until light

and fluffy.

 Add eggs and beat until smooth. 

Sift Flour and baking

powder together. 

Add flour to butter mixture along with milk. 

Add vanilla.

 Pour into buttered 9 X 13 inch pan and bake for

approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until golden.

 Scald milk. 

Beat egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch. Add scalded milk to egg

mixture. Cook until thickened. Add vanilla and cool with plastic

wrap on surface of custard. 

This will prevent a skin from forming.

To assemble - Cut cake in half and then slice horizontally and

then spread with raspberry preserves that have been thinned with

Sherry. 

Cut cake into chunks and place a layer of cake in Trifle

or glass bowl. 

Sprinkle with Sherry. Pour some of the custard over

cake and add fresh raspberries or blueberries. 

Repeat the layers.

Refrigerate. For best results, assemble in the bowl one day ahead.

This allows the custard to meld with the cake. Pipe whipped cream

over surface a few hours before serving. Sprinkle with toasted

sliced almonds.