Celebrate British summer time in style with this essentially English trifle – it’s ideal for sunny weather and any get-together.
Serves 6-8
- 600ml/1 pint Red Tractor milk
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 40g/1 1/2oz Red Tractor Silver Spoon caster sugar
- 450g/1lb Madeira cake, sliced
- 150ml/1/4 pint sherry (medium sweet)
- 150ml/1/4 pint apple juice
- 300g/10oz Red Tractor strawberries, sliced
- 300ml/1/2 pint Red Tractor double cream
- Red Tractor strawberries, to decorate
Put the milk and vanilla extract into a heavy-based saucepan and heat until lukewarm. Beat the egg yolks and eggs together in a large heatproof bowl and blend in the cornflour. Add the warm milk and stir well. Sit the bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens - it will take about 15-20 minutes.
Pour the thickened custard into a bowl and sprinkle the surface with the sugar, without stirring it in. This will help to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely.
Arrange the slices of Madeira cake in the base of a trifle dish. Mix together the sherry and apple juice, then spoon into the trifle dish. Allow a few minutes to soak in, then top with the sliced strawberries. Stir the cooled custard and pour it over the fruit. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Whip the cream in a chilled bowl until it holds its shape. Spoon it over the custard, then decorate with strawberries.
Cook’s tip: Save time by using fresh chilled custard instead of making your own. To whip cream successfully, chill a large mixing bowl thoroughly beforehand - it will keep the cream cold, helping you to whip it more quickly. Make sure that the cream itself is well-chilled too. Use a balloon or spiral whisk in preference to electric beaters - you have more control, meaning there is less chance of over-whipping it.