Traditional Sherry Trifle
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Base
- 8 trifle sponges
- 4 tablespoons raspberry jam
- 6 tablespoons sweet sherry
- 12 ounces (350 grams) frozen raspberries, partially thawed
- 2 ounces (50 grams) ratafia biscuits
Custard
- 1 pint (550ml) milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar, plus a little for sprinkling
- 1 1/2 tablespoons corn flour
Topping
- 3/4 pint (425ml) whipping cream
- 2 ounces (50g) flaked almonds, toasted
- Glace cherries to decorate
Instructions
Base
- Split the sponges in half then spread each half thinly with raspberry jam. Sandwich each half back together and cut into quarters. Place in the base of three and a half pint (2 litre) glass trifle bowl. Sprinkle the sherry over the sponges and spoon over the partially thawed raspberries and their juice.
- Roughly crush the ratafia biscuits and sprinkle over the raspberries.
- Chill for 3 to 4 hours.
Custard
- Place the milk and vanilla pod in a small pan and slowly bring to just below boiling point. Transfer to a heatproof jug and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk.
- Place the egg yolks, corn flour and sugar in a bowl and whisk together. Whisk in the milk, then strain the liquid back into the rinsed pan through a fine sieve. Cook over a gentle heat, stirring constantly until the custard starts to thicken, being careful not to allow to boil. Cook gently for two minutes unit the custard is a thick pouring consistency. Quickly pour the custard into a cold bowl to prevent further cooking. Sprinkle the surface with a thin coating of caster sugar to prevent a skin forming. Set aside and let cool.
- Spoon the cold custard onto the raspberries in the trifle bowl, spreading to the edges with a palette knife.
Topping
- Gently whip the cream until it nearly holds its shape, then spoon three quarters of it on top of the custard and carefully spread to the sides of the bowl.
- Whip the remaining cream until it holds it shape. Pipe swirls of whipped cream around the top of the bowl and decorate with flaked almonds and cherries.
