Aunt Kateanne’s Trifle

From The Kindness of Strangers by Shonagh Koea, published by Vintage, ISBN: 9781869419189

Ingredients

• a sponge cake cut into neat squares
• one dozen crumbled macaroons
• a cup of good sherry
• grated rind of a lemon
• fifty grams of blanched sliced almonds
• raspberry or apricot jam (I prefer apricot)
• half a litre or so of nice soft custard
• whipped cream to serve

Method

Put the sponge cake squares in a bowl with the crumbled macaroons and sprinkle with the sherry.

Sprinkle the lemon rind over the cake and the macaroons and the sherry.

Then sprinkle the blanched sliced almonds over the rind. Spread a layer of jam over all this and then pour on the custard.

If you are using a crystal bowl or a glass one this must be done with care because if the custard is too hot it might crack the bowl. Letting the custard cool somewhat does no harm to either the trifle or the custard but will save the bowl.

Put the trifle in the refrigerator and garnish with whipped cream when it is to be served.

If you do not want to put sherry in the trifle you can moisten the sponge and the macaroons with good fruit syrup and if you do not have macaroons you can just use a little more sponge.