International Recipes
Old English Trifle
It is best to make everything the day ahead, and assemble the trifle at the last minute.
Yield: 12 to 16 servings
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup sifted flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Custard
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 beaten egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
Topping
- 3 pints strawberries
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup high-quality orange liqueur
- Confectioners' sugar
- Whipped cream
Instructions
Cake
- Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
- In small saucepan, heat milk and butter until butter melts; keep hot.
- In mixer bowl, beat eggs at high speed until thick, about 3 minutes.
- Gradually add sugar, beating constantly at medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add sifted dry ingredients to egg mixture. Stir until just blended.
- Add hot milk mixture and vanilla extract; blend well.
- Turn into two greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cool.
Custard
- Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan.
- Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
- Stir moderate amount of hot mixture into egg yolks to warm them.
- Combine yolks with mixture in pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 2 more minutes; remove from heat.
- Stir in butter and vanilla extract.
- Cover surface of custard with wax paper or clear plastic. Chill.
- Beat whipping cream until stiff, and fold into chilled pudding. Set aside.
Topping
- Crush strawberries to make 2 cups after setting aside 14 of the best berries for garnish.
- Stir in sugar, and set aside.
- To assemble the trifle, make four cake layers by cutting both cakes in half horizontally. Fit one bottom layer into the bottom of a large glass bowl; spread 1 cup berry mixture over cake. Top with second cake layer, cut side up; sprinkle half of the liqueur over the cut side, and spread with all of the custard mixture. Place third layer atop custard and spread with remaining berry mixture.
- Sprinkle cut side of top layer with remaining liqueur and place it, cut side down, atop berries.
- Cover and refrigerate.
- Just before serving, sift confectioners' sugar on top of trifle. Score top with X's.
- Garnish with whipped cream and reserved strawberries.