Mum's sherry trifle

 

Ingredients

• 100 g boudoir biscuits (sponge fingers) , or 6 Weetabix
• 100 ml sweet sherry
• 250 g fresh raspberries
• 300 g fresh strawberries
• 2 x 135 g packs of raspberry or strawberry jelly
• 35 g Bird’s Custard powder
• 2 tablespoons golden caster sugar
• 600 ml organic milk
• 600 ml double cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 2 Cadbury’s Flakes , or 50g dark chocolate (70%)
• hundreds and thousands, candied angelica , optional

Method

1. Arrange the biscuits or Weetabix on the bottom of a large glass trifle bowl (you can usually pick up beautiful crystal bowls from charity shops). Hull and slice the strawberries, reserving some for decoration, and scatter over the fingers with half of the raspberries then drizzle well with the sherry.
2. Tear up the jelly into cubes, pop in a heatproof measuring jug and add 600ml boiling water, stirring until all dissolved, then add 600ml of cold water. Pour over the sponge and fruit, place in the fridge and allow to set.
3. Prepare the custard by mixing the custard powder with the sugar and a little milk in a bowl, and mix until dissolved. Heat the remaining milk until nearly boiling, then add to the custard mix. Stir and return to the pan, whisking as it comes back to the boil and turns lovely and thick. Pour the custard into the bowl and allow to cool, stirring occasionally so the custard doesn’t form a skin, then pour over the set jelly, spreading it out with the back of a spoon so the jelly is all covered.
4. Whip the double cream with the vanilla paste until you have soft peaks, then spoon over the layer of custard, creating peaks with the back of your spoon.
5. Finish the trifle by crumbling over the chocolate Flakes or, if you’re feeling more upmarket, grate over the dark chocolate. Finally, decorate with the remaining raspberries and sliced strawberries, and for that true Seventies flourish, hundreds and thousands and candied angelica if you fancy it.