TRIFLE
You couldn't have lived in the 60's without eating Trifle. It was always a sweet option on a buffet table and a treat for Sunday teatime visitors. It took pride of place on the tea table at Christmas and to be honest I invariably still make one over the Christmas period. We all owned decorative glass trifle dishes but to be honest mine has a chip on its rim so is destined for the bin - reluctant as I am to see it go! However I've just bought six individual trifle dishes (although I can think of many other ways of using them), Retro kitchenalia seems all the rage at the moment so I was delighted to find them.
Everybody's trifle recipe is different so I can only give you mine.

Ingredients - for 6 individual trifles or 1 large one

jam Swiss roll
pack of jelly cubes (if you're using it).  Choose flavour to compliment fruit
2 dessertspoons sherry for each individual trifle (optional)
punnet strawberries
punnet raspberries
caster sugar to sweeten fruit
1 pint of custard, left to get cold
350 ml double cream
a little caster sugar to sweeten cream
decorations

Method

1. Slice jam Swiss roll into fairly thin slices and place at the bottom of the trifle dishes. I've found this base the quickest and most tasty method. People used to use what were known as Trifle Sponges which were sold in boxes of about eight. you slit them in half and spread them with jam of choice. Others sliced Madeira cake and spread that with jam. There is  no wrong or right way to make a Trifle - whichever method you prefer.

2, There has always been an argument as whether or not to include jelly in a Trifle. Personally I use jelly only if young children are going to eat it. Choose a jelly flavour to compliment whichever fruit you're using. Follow the packet instructions to make it. Cover the sponge layer with the jelly and let it set in the refrigerator for about four hours at least- I usually leave it overnight.
For the adults I soak the sponge layer with sherry - whichever type you have available.

3. Next comes the fruit layer. Back in the day we always used tinned fruit - peaches, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries, mandarins or the very popular fruit cocktail. I must admit I prefer to use a mixture of fresh fruit but you could only buy fruits which were in season back then. My favourite combination is strawberries and raspberries. Hull and slice strawberries and place in a bowl with the punnet of raspberries. Sprinkle over 1-2 tablespoons caster sugar and turn the fruit over and over so that their natural juices come out and form a tasty syrup.










4.  Next comes the custard layer. The traditional way is to make your own using milk, eggs and sugar but most of the time we used the foolproof method - Bird's Custard Powder! Nowadays you can buy fresh custard ready-made for you in the Supermarket. Whichever method you use, make sure it's cold before putting it on the Trifle.

You can now see the different layers forming in the dish.
5. The Trifle is always topped with cream, Back in the 60's it was sometimes Nestles tinned cream. Fresh cream was ordered from the milkman who made daily house deliveries. Bird's developed a Trifle topping called Dream Topping which resembled (and tasted) like shaving foam! The same company produced ingredients in a box to make a complete Trifle - well, at least sponge, jelly, custard and Dream Topping - and we musn't forget the coloured strands for decoration!
Nowadays most people opt for fresh, double cream which must be whipped until it forms soft peaks which can be piped, spread or spooned in dollops on top of the Trifle. I usually sweeten the cream with a little caster sugar.

6. The Trifle is now ready for decorating as simply or as elaborately as you choose. Above I have given you some quick suggestions. I have used fresh fruit pieces, glace cherries (in the day one would have also used green angelica which isn't as readily available now), toasted, flaked almonds and crushed Bourbon Biscuits

The Trifle's a hit!