Mums Retro Trifle

Mum (who looks like she's smoking a pipe in this photo. I think she was just holding it for dad whilst he took the photo to avoid getting sand in it. I've got the matching image of him posing with the pipe she must have taken.....they may have been on their honeymoon.....I'm not sure. I'll post the one of him later) anyway, as I was about to say, mum like me, liked to experiment with food.

She went through a phase of experimenting with new convenience foods rather than making from scratch as she always had. It was then that instead of apple pie or strudel or Adam and Eaves pudding with custard sauce made with fresh milk and eggs, that she would sometimes dish up Butterscotch Angel Delight or strawberry trifle. It wasn't so much baking as put together from a combination of tins and packages....but we loved it.....it's one of those foods that conjures up all sorts of nostalgic memories of family teas. It tastes even better if there's a little bit left over in the fridge to sneak the following morning.....especially the yummy strawberry sponge part, I'm not a great cream lover.......a bit different from the Zuppa Inlese Italian trifle that she would also sometimes make.

To make Mum's Retro Trifle you will need the following:-

. A swiss roll, with strawberry or raspberry filling. Just a simple one.
. A tin of strawberries or raspberries in syrup

. A strawberry or raspberry jelly. Either Birds Custard powder made up with milk and sugar as per the instructions or a container of made custard

. Half a pint of double or whipping cream whipped up with a little icing sugar added to sweeten if liked

. Retro silver balls or hundreds and thousands to decorate, or both

. If liked a little sherry or liqueur

Method:

1. Slice the swiss roll and line the bottom and sides of a dish and sprinkle with liqueur if using....
2. Drain the fruit, reserving the syrup. Place the fruit on top of the sponge.
3. Make up the jelly using the syrup instead of cold water to make it up to a pint.
4. Carefully pour over the sponge and fruit.
5. Leave to set in a fridge.
6. Meanwhile make up the custard and leave to cool a little.
7. Pour the custard over the set jelly.
8. Top with the whipped cream and decorate.

I'm afraid I'm not the best trifle decorator but it does taste yum and my sister-in-law 'S' who requested it for after Easter Sunday dinner doesn't realise just how easy it is to make.... thinks I'm a culinary genius, mind you she's a real pussycat when it comes to cream. I keep telling her how easy it is to make and that there is absolutely no baking involved....

mmm......memories of child hood especially when dished up on my maternal grandmothers Alfred Meakin china.