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.

EASY FRUIT CAKE WITH NUTS & PINEAPPLE

2  1/4c plain flour
1/2 tsp each of allspice, gr cloves, ginger, cinnamon
1/2c each of walnuts or almonds,  cherries, drained crushed pineapple, sultanas
1 Tab chopped peel
2 1/2c raisins
125g butter
2 Tab sherry
1  1/2c water
1 tsp each of bicarb & BP
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1  1/2c sugar

Sift flour, bicarb, salt & spices together. Remove 1c flour mixture & set aside.

Mix water, sugar, sultanas & raisins together in saucepan and boil 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
Add butter, stir til melted. Allow to cool.  Add beaten eggs and add gradually to drys.

Mix nuts, cherries, pineapple & peel with remaining cup flour and stir into cake batter. Add sherry.

Grease & line a tin and spoon mixture in, hollowing slightly. Bake in slow oven 2-2  1/2 hours.