My sister Jo’s magnificent confection. It will leave you speechless. In recent years she added and varied the fruit.

Jo Ellen’s Famous English Trifle

Crystal trifle bowl (the traditional bowl is footed)

6-8 sponge cakes
1 pkt. raspberry gelatin
3 tbsp. raspberry jam

1 tin pears
1 tin raspberries
Sherry or wine, if liked

½ pint custard  (recipe follows)
Ingredients for the custard:
1¼ c. whole milk
1¼ c. double cream
1 vanilla pod, slit in half and seeds scraped out (or, 1 t. vanilla extract)
6 egg yolks
3 tbsp. caster (or, in the U.S., super fine) sugar
1 tbsp. corn starch Continue reading →