Preparation time: 50 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 8 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 24 to 30 lady fingers or sponge cake
- 2 – 4 tablespoons sherry, brandy, sweet wine or white rum
- 400g can peaches in juice
- 500g fresh raspberries or sliced fruit
- ½ cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 cup cream
- 2-3 teaspoons icing sugar
Method
Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until slightly thickened. Into a medium saucepan pour the milk and cream.
Cook stirring, over a medium heat until bubbles form around the edges. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg yolks and sugar. Return this mixture to the saucepan. Rinse out and dry the mixing bowl, then set a fine-mesh sieve over the top. Place the saucepan over low heat. Using a heatproof rubber spatula or a wooden spoon gently but constantly, sweeping the entire pan bottom and reaching into the corners. As soon as the sauce is slightly thickened, remove the pan from the heat and stir gently for 2 minutes to complete the cooking. The sauce should be the consistency of whipping cream and register around 77°C on an instant read thermometer. Pour the sauce through a sieve and let cool for 10 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent a skin from forming. Stir in vanilla extract.
Let the sauce become completely cold before covering, a condensation will cause I to thin. The sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, set the container of sauce in water heated to 74*C and stir until warmed through.
Arrange half of the lady finger or cake pieces in the bottom of a 2 to 3 litre serving bowl. (if the bowl is glass, make sure that each layer of ingredients touches the sides of the bowl so that the colours and textures can be seen. Sprinkle with sweet wine, brandy or rum
spread with half of 140 to 200g preserves. Sprinkle with half of berries or sliced fruit and top with half of the custard and sprinkle with half the slivered almonds.
Repeat the assembly with the remaining lady finger or cake pieces, liquer, preserves, fruit and custard. Whip cream until stiff. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Spread the cream or pipe it decoratively on top of the trifle. Sprinkle with extra slivered blanched almonds.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (longer is better) or up to 24 hours before serving.
