Albert's Downtown Toronto Inn

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Heritage Recipe

English Sherry Trifle

My mother's sherry trifle is made with her own sponge mix, spread with raspberry jam and seasoned fruit on top, with a generous sprinkling of sherry and a rather runny egg custard that actually soaked into the sponge. On top of this is plonked large amounts of fresh whipped cream, decorated with candied or fresh orange slices and long strip of orange rind, sliced almonds, and of course, cherries. She would seek out the most ornate glass bowl for special occasions like Sunday tea, weddings, and birthdays alike.

During the 1960's when I lived in London, England, my best friend's mother made this trifle, which is my preference today. This trifle tends to keep well in the refrigerator. This is the Holloway Prison Trifle (my friend's mother, Mrs. Fullman, was a warden at the Holloway Ladies Prison, North London). ... Geoffrey Pimblett

Ingredients

1 jam roll (Swiss rolls)

Tinned fruit salad, with juice and extra cherries if desired

Raisins, chopped almonds, and/or shredded coconut

Sweet sherry

Weak red jelly (gelatin) mix (strawberry or raspberry)

English custard (Birds preferably)

Whipped cream

Sliced almonds and/or shredded coconut

Cherries or strawberries in season

Take an ornate trifle dish (I find an old punch bowl to be most appropriate). Line the bottom with a jam roll (Swiss rolls) cut into 1-inch slices and break the rest into the middle. Cover with tinned fruit salad, with juice and extra cherries if desired. Sprinkle over this a handful of raisins, chopped almonds, and/or shredded coconut. Dribble a good lacing of fine sweet sherry and then set all this with a weak red jelly (gelatin) mix.

When all is cooled, cover with a layer of thick English custard (no lumps, please). Let all this cool before covering with whipped cream which has had a little vanilla essence and sugar added. Decorate with sliced almonds and/or shredded coconut and cherries or strawberries in season.

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