A Mere Trifle! Strawberries and Clotted Cream Trifle

Luscious fresh strawberries nestle amongst light sponge cake sandwiched with strawberry jam, which are then covered with creamy custard and topped with clotted cream. Simple! This trifle may be simple but it is the star on any tea-time or dessert table and if you cannot obtain clotted cream, use whipping cream, heavy cream or double cream instead. Madeira is used in place of sherry in this trifle, which gives a mellow flavour to the trifle. This is a recipe that my mum sent to me, from a cutting in a British magazine promoting Devon and Cornwall in the West Country - home of the Cream Tea! If you wish to serve this to children or non-drinkers, substitute the Madeira with fruit juice of your choice. In the summer scatter some pink rose petals over the top for the ultimate and romantic finish! (Prep time includes the chilling and soaking time.)

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 1 Trifle

Ingredients

• 5  single trifle sponge cakes or 5  sponge cakes, cut into slices
• 2  tablespoons  strawberry jam
• 4  fluid ounces madeira wine
• 12  ounces  fresh ripe strawberries, thickly sliced
• 1⁄2 tablespoon  golden caster sugar
• 1 (250 g) container  clotted cream or 1 (250 g)  whipping cream
• 1 (500 ml) container  fresh ready-made custard
• 1  tablespoon  toasted sliced almonds
• 1  vanilla pod
•  rose petal (optional)

Directions

1. First of all cut the trifle sponges in half lengthways or cut the sponge cake into slices, spread each half or slice with strawberry jam, then re-form them and cut each one into 3 little sandwiches. Now arrange them in a 3 pint (1.75 litre) trifle bowl. Then make a few stabs in the sponges and sprinkle the Madeira carefully and evenly over them, then leave it all aside for half an hour so it can soak inches
2. After that, sprinkle half the strawberries over the top of the trifle sponges, pushing some down in amongst them. Then put the rest into a Mini Chopper or food processor along with the sugar, whiz to a purée then drizzle the purée over the strawberries.
3. Meanwhile, empty the custard into a jug, split the vanilla pod lengthways and, using a teaspoon, scrape the seeds into the custard and mix together.
4. Spoon the custard evenly over the top of the strawberries, then dollop the clotted cream over the custard (or whipped cream) smoothing it with the back of a knife and lastly sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds and scatter with rose petals if using.
5. Now you need to cover the dish with clingfilm and make sure it is well chilled before serving, up to two hours is ideal.