RASPBERRY AND BANANA TRIFLE

serves 10-12

12oz trifle sponges or left-over cake
8 level Tabs raspberry jam
8 Tab sherry
500g fresh or frozen raspberries
3 bananas, skinned and sliced
sugar to taste

CUSTARD
1.5 pints milk
4 eggs, size 3
8 level tsp cornflour
4 level Tabs caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
damp piece of greaseproof paper

TOPPING
1 pint double or whipping cream
1 oz toasted hazelnuts, chopped

4.5 pint trifle bowl
piping bag with star nozzle

Spread jam over the cake, then cut into small pieces. Arrange in the bowl.
Spoon over sherry and stand 1 hr.

CUSTARD: Heat milk til just warm. Blend eggs, cornflour, s&v together.
Stir a little hot milk into egg mixture, then pour this into milk in pan.
Gradually bring to just below simmering point and cook until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat. Press a damp piece of greaseproof into surface of custard, to prevent a skin forming. Leave to cool.

Mix together the fruit and a little sugar to taste. Spoon this mixture over the soaked sponges.
Pour the custard over and allow to set for 1 hour.

TOPPING:  Whisk cream until slightly thickened. Spoon half the cream over the custard and spread in a thin layer. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over the top.

Continue to whisk cream until thick. With piping bag, pipe wavy lines of cream over the trifle.

SWEET CHEESE CAKE baked – with sultanas

short pastry
60g cream cheese – crumbled
1 tsp vanilla essence – try lemon?
4 eggs, separated
125g each of castor sugar and butter
60g sultanas
pinch salt
milk

Line a large pie plate with pastry, ornament the edges. Prick all over bottom with a fork.
Beat b&s to a cream. Stir in the cheese, beaten egg yolks (reserving enough to glaze the top), vanilla, salt & sultanas.

Beat egg whites stiff and folk into mixture. Pour into pastry shell, brush with yolk and a little milk.
Put into a hot oven at first, reduce the heat and bake til custard is set and pastry is pale brown.