Cooking with Booze

   

Grandma Dorset’s Trifle

This is my grandmother’s trifle, subtitled ‘The Real Thing’. Small children and those of a weak constitution should not be allowed anywhere near it, and even those made of stronger stuff may have trouble getting up from the table at the end of the meal. You have been warned.

• 3 small sponge cakes
• 6-8 macaroons
• a little grated lemon rind
• 28g (1 oz) almonds, blanched and roughly chopped
• strawberry jam
• 250ml (½ pint) custard
• 125ml (¼ pint) sherry
• 3 tbsp brandy

• For the whip:
• 125ml (¼ pint) cream
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp sherry

1. Put the sponge cake and macaroons in a bowl. Pour over the sherry and the brandy, then add the lemon rind, almonds and jam. Pour over cold custard. Beat the whip ingredients in a bowl and spoon over the top. Garnish with whatever you have to hand—cherries, more nuts, chocolate. It’s up to you.