Traditional Trifle

Like many people I serve a trifle as an alternative to Christmas Pudding, using specially selected raspberries picked in the summer and frozen, labelled ‘Christmas raspberries’ ready for the festive occasion. It is a popular dessert and can be served in one pretty glass dish or individual ones. I am of the ‘no jelly in trifle’ school of thought!

Ingredients
Serves 6

  • 150g (5.3oz) Ratafia biscuits
  • 150-200ml (5-7 fl oz) sherry
  • 250g (9oz) raspberries, fresh or frozen
  • 600ml (1 pint) custard – home made or a good quality ready made one
  • 300ml (½ pint) double cream, whipped

Decoration:

  • Toasted flaked almonds or silver dragees

 

Method


Place the ratafia biscuits in the base of a deep dish and pour over the sherry, allow time for the biscuits to soak up the sherry then tip over the raspberries. Pour over the custard – if you aremaking your own then cover the dish with cling film so that it does not form a skin as it cools down.


Whip the cream until it just holds its shape then swirl over the cold custard and decorate with almonds and/or dragees.


Proper custard


This is Mary Berry’s proper custard recipe - delicious.

  • 600ml (1 pint) milk or single cream
  • 6 egg yolks or 4 whole eggs
  • 2 level tbsp vanilla caster sugar
  • 1 level tbsp cornflour


Method


Heat the milk or cream until it almost boils. Beat the egg yolks, or whole eggs, sugar and cornflour together in a basin and pour on the hot milk stirring thoroughly the whole time. Return the custard
to the pan and heat gently until it puckers for about a minute or two, until it coats the back of a spoon, strain before pouring onto the raspberries.

 
 

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