Bakewell Trifles Recipes

STEPHANIE JOHNSTON'S BAKEWELL TART

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven, and preheat it to 400. Prick the crust all over with a fork, cover with buttered foil and fill with dried rice or beans. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights, and bake for 3 minutes more, until lightly colored. Set aside to cool.
• To make the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 350. Whisk the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and sea salt together. Working with a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes, until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs, scraping the bowl as needed. The mixture may curdle - it's O.K. Beat in the almond extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add half of the dry mixture. When incorporated, add the rest, and beat only until it disappears into the batter. Finish blending with a spatula.
• Spread the jam in the crust, and top with the filling, covering the jam as completely as you can. (The filling doesn't spread easily, but imperfections work out in the end.) If you'd like, sprinkle with sliced almonds.
• Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top feels firm and is puffed all the way to the center. (Check the tart after about 25 minutes, and if it is browning quickly, tent it loosely with foil.) Transfer to a rack, and let it cool before icing, if you'd like, and serving.
• To make the icing: Stir the sugar and 1/2 tablespoon water together. If the icing doesn't run off the spoon slowly and steadily, add more water drop by drop. Drizzle over the tart, and let it dry at room temperature.

GRANDMA'S ENGLISH TRIFLE

Steps:

• Slice pound cake in half horizontally. Spread with jam and replace top of cake. Slice cake into 9 pieces. Line the sides and fill the center of a 2-qt. glass serving bowl with cake pieces. Prepare pudding with milk. Pour over cake. Chill. Beat cream and sugar until soft peaks form; spread over cake and pudding. Chill at least 4 hours. Garnish with almonds and cherries.

MARY'S ROYAL CHERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• First, make the custard. Tip the caster sugar, cornflour and vanilla into a mixing bowl and add the eggs and egg yolk. Whisk with a hand whisk until smooth and blended.
• Pour the milk and double cream into a pan and heat gently until hot, but do not boil. Pour this over the egg mixture and immediately whisk until blended. Wash the pan to remove any scum from the milk and pour the custard back into the clean pan. Heat gently, stirring constantly until thickened. Don't panic if the custard starts to look lumpy as it thickens, just continue to heat and whisk until the custard is thick and smooth. Pour into a jug and cover the surface of the custard with cling film to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to cool.
• Tip the stoned cherries into a pan with half the jam or conserve and cook over a medium heat for 5-10 mins until softened and saucy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
• Spread half the slices of Madeira cake generously with the remaining cherry jam. Sandwich with the remaining cake slices, then cut in half. Pour the kirsch or brandy into a shallow bowl, dip each sponge sandwich into the liqueur, then arrange in the base of the trifle dish (you will need a shallow, straight-sided, 20cm round glass dish about 5cm deep). Line the edges of the dish first to create a stripy effect, then fill in the centre with the remaining sandwiches, pouring over any remaining liquid.
• Spoon over the cherries and any juice from the pan, then scatter over the broken biscuits. Pour over the cooled custard, then spread whipped cream over the top. Decorate with fresh whole cherries and chill for a few hours, or make it a day ahead and chill for up to 24 hours before serving.