Barbara's English Trifle

This dessert will jeopardize my diet any time! There is something about the combination of flavors that encourages bite after bite in case you might miss one. It is one of those recipes that lends itself to personal creativity. Instead of the egg pudding, try make a chocolate pudding. I use a plain pound cake but no one says you can't try a spice or chocolate one for variety. this can be made the morning of your dinner party and take one less, last-minute stress off your list.

Barbara's English Trifle

One baked pound cake (Homemade or store-bought)
One recipe of Favorite Egg Pudding (Recipe follows)
2 pints of heavy cream
3 Tablespoons sour cream
1 jar of your favorite jam (raspberry is good, apricot interesting)
1 small package frozen, sliced strawberries, defrosted
3 tablespoons brandy
Juice and zest of one orange, mixed together with brandy
One can chunk pineapple, well-drained
Maraschino cherries to garnish

Although you can use an ordinary, large serving bowl, if you have a big, glass one, it makes a nice display. Have it cleaned, shiny and standing by!

Place your heavy cream and sour cream in an electric mixing bowl and beat until stiff and thick. Have your Egg Pudding at your work station.

Slice the Pound Cake into ½-inch slices. Cut them into triangles. Spread your choice of jam over each slice. Place a layer of cake in the bottom of your serving dish. Sprinkle with a little brandy mixture, some pineapple, a thin layer of strawberries and a good serving of Egg Pudding. Add a layer of whipped cream and repeat until you end up with a top layer of cake. Whatever you have left at this point in the way of fruit, layer it on and top with a final layer of Egg Pudding. Cover the top with the rest of the whipped cream, garnish with cherries and refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you have other preferences on fruit for your English Trifle, just about anything works! The main ingredients are the cake, pudding and whipped cream. Your imagination and the contents of your cupboard will design your own dessert.

My Favorite Egg Pudding
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
dash salt
4 cups milk
6 egg yolks, slightly beaten
4 tablespoons margarine or butter
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
Grated zest of one orange, optional

Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt and yolks in a large saucepan. Whisk thoroughly. Stir in milk gradually. Cook mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and begins to boil. Continue to boil for approximately one minute. Remove from heat; stir in margarine, extracts and orange zest. Best eaten slightly warm or cold.