ENGLISH TRIFLE

By BobD

Ingredients

• For the Pastry Cream:
• 8 yolks
• 1 1/3 C sugar
• pinch salt
• 1/2 C cornstarch
• 4 C milk
• 4 tsp vanilla
• 3 TB cognac or kirsch
• For the sugar syrup:
• 2 C sugar
• 1 C water
• Cognac or kirsch to taste
• 2 pound cakes (regular or marbled)
• strawberries, blueberries, blackberries & raspberries
• Kiwis (peeled and sliced)

Preparation

Step 1

For the Pastry Cream:

Warm milk until it just starts to boil.

Put the yolks, sugar and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat
on high until mixture forms a ribbon. Sift cornstarch and add gradually to beaten egg mixture until fully incorporated. Slowly whisk in half of the heated milk then return the yolk & milk mixture to the rest of the milk in the pan. Place over medium heat and whisk until it thickens and just begins to bubble. Remove from heat and let cool a bit. Add the cognac/kirsch and vanilla. Force the pastry cream through a sieve with the aid of a rubber spatula. Set aside to cool. Can be made ahead...when completely cooled, press Saran down onto the top of the cream to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate.

For the Sugar Syrup:

Place sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and boil for @15 minutes. Be very careful...syrup will be extremely hot. Cool completely and add cognac/kirsch to taste (should just be able to taste the flavoring...not too strong.)

Assembly:

Cut the pound cake into ½" slices. Wash and pat dry the fruit cutting the
largest and nicest strawberries in half lengthwise.

Place a layer of pound cake on the bottom of your trifle bowl and sprinkle generously with sugar syrup. Line strawberries (cut side out) around bowl alternating with slices of kiwi. Spoon layer of pastry cream over cake using it to press fruit to side of bowl. Sprinkle pastry cream with berry mixture (cut up strawberries a bit). Place another layer of pound cake, sprinkle with syrup and repeat process ending with layer of pastry cream at top of bowl. Carefully place berries on top layer in any pattern you want until top of bowl is completely covered. I like to use a circular pattern with the bottom end of strawberries pointing up then followed by blueberries/ blackberries ending with a small circle of strawbs in the middle filled with raspberries or blueberries.