| Total: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Prep: | 1 hr |
| Cook: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 6 cups pound cake scraps and crumbs
- 1 cup simple syrup (2 parts water, 1 part sugar brought to a boil and allowed to cool to room temperature)
- 1/4 cup sherry or orange flavored liqueur
- Vanilla Pastry Cream, recipe follows
- Brown Sugar Whipped Cream, recipe follows
- 1/2 cup nuts ground with 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 pints strawberries, cut up tossed with 1/4 of cup sugar
- 2 cups whole, 2%, or 1% fat milk
- 1/2 vanilla bean split lengthwise
- 6 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cups chilled heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl toss together the cake scraps, simple syrup, and liquor to moisten the cake.
- In a trifle bowl or individual glass stemware, layer the ingredients in the following order: cake, Vanilla Pastry Cream, Brown Sugar Whipped Cream, nuts and strawberries, repeating until the container is full, ending with whipped cream as the top layer. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. (Can be made a day in advance up to this point and is actually better if allowed to sit over night.) Decorate with more fruit and finely chopped nuts, or rosettes of whipped cream and strawberries.
- Bring the milk and vanilla bean to a boil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat and set aside to infuse for 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain. Whisk 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture. Pour the mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least two hours. (The pastry cream can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate until 1 hour before using.)
- Whip the cream and brown sugar until stiff.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 1066 |
| Total Fat | 47 g |
| Saturated Fat | 23 g |
| Carbohydrates | 152 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 118 g |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Cholesterol | 290 mg |
| Sodium | 589 mg |
Reviews
Excellent trifle. Great pastry cream, which can be used for pies, profiteroles, etc. Gale is a true dessert genius.
I really love this basic receipe, and always get rave reviews for making it. I’ve made some modifications though. I make the pastry cream a little on the thicker side and add a couple of tablespoons of rum, brandy or orange flavor liquour after the cooking process. it cuts through some of the over sweetness. Another way would be to add the alcohol to the simple syrup instead.
If strawberries are too expensive or I’m running short on time, I used whole frozen cherries, whole berries, or sliced peaches, thawed and well drained. It saves a lot of time from hulling and slicing the strawberries.
My last cheat is using a large Sara lee pound cake. I have made my own pond cake for the receipe before but find that store bought is a little moister and works better. It may be heresy, but I get no complaints.
If strawberries are too expensive or I’m running short on time, I used whole frozen cherries, whole berries, or sliced peaches, thawed and well drained. It saves a lot of time from hulling and slicing the strawberries.
My last cheat is using a large Sara lee pound cake. I have made my own pond cake for the receipe before but find that store bought is a little moister and works better. It may be heresy, but I get no complaints.
I only made the pastry cream in this recipe and it turned out wonderful! So easy too! I used it to fill some cupcakes. I omitted the vanilla bean and used a tsp of vanilla bean paste :
I make this year after year, it is family favorite.
Some recipes blend the pastry cream and the whip cream together but really prefer how this recipe layers these distinct flavors. I have made this recipe may times and always to rave reviews. Sometimes I make it with strawberries alone and other times I alter it to a mixed berry trifle. Really can’t go wrong with this recipe.
I have made this trifle every year and plan on making it again for this Christmas. I put in a large tin of fruit cocktail for the fruit and lots of sherry! The pastry cream is just lovely. I also use a chocolate flake from Britain to top the trifle. I am from Wales and this is how my Mum made it when I was a kid. I have made it when my parents have come for a visit and my dad says it’s the best trifle ever!…..just yummy!
This recipe is the most delicious trifle ever. The pastry cream is outstanding and the brown sugar whipped cream is the perfect topping!
This was excellent. My husband is from England and he loved it. I left out the nuts because English trifle does not have nuts in it. Otherwise, an excellent dish! Very good! I will definitely make this again.
It was so light and creamy. My family still raves about it. I will make it again and again.
Very good. A bit complex to make but really worth it.