Growing up, my family always used Bird’s Custard Powder in our English trifle. However, it’s hard to find where I live, so I went ahead and made the custard from scratch. I really do love pudding, but for this dessert, I insist on using custard. There’s something about the beautiful aroma of custard that reminds me of the house we lived in before coming to America. I savor it. Now repeat those layers two more times. Garnish with fresh sliced strawberries or raspberries and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Add the custard to the melted chocolate and stir well. Transfer to a saucepan and heat very gently, for just 20–30 seconds, stirring constantly until the custard is smooth and glossy. Don’t allow to get too warm.

I either make it in a large trifle bowl or a huge glass salad bowl, and there’s always enough to go around no matter how many people I’m feeding.Use skimmed, semi-skimmed, whole, coconut or almond milk to make your perfect custard. Vary the milk quantity in the custard and/or topping for your desired consistency. Add more or less sugar to suit your taste. Add fresh fruit of your choice* with the sponge fingers before adding the jelly. Top with sliced fruit or grate a little more chocolate over the top.

Arrange the sliced Swiss roll around the base and sides of a medium trifle dish. Drizzle with the cherry brandy, brandy or kirsch if using. The final layer of your trifle is the cream. For peace of mind, Granny recommends using whipping cream; as it is easier to whip without the risk of over-whipping. However, I tend to find that whipping cream isn’t as readily available, compared to double cream. For that reason, I have listed double cream as a choice too. Both give fabulous results, just be cautious not to over-whip your double cream! (Or use whipping cream if you’re concerned).

Original Custard Powder

Top each trifle with whipped cream, just spooning it on as Sheila did, or piping it on, as I did. Addyour favorite chocolates, like Cadbury’s Buttons or Flake! Drizzle the sponge with 5–6 tbsp of the cherry syrup, until lightly soaked. Reserve 6 of the cherries for decoration and scatter the rest over the sponge. Pour the chocolate custard on top. Cover and chill for 2–3 hours, or overnight, until the custard is softly set. Over the years, trifles [in America] have been adapted to fit into a family’s tastes. Some use pudding, some don’t include sherry or Madeira wine, but instead non-alcoholic juices, and some even use chocolate and other ingredients. Prepare the Bird’s custard according to the directions, but adding some chopped dark chocolate at the end, to make chocolate custard. You can also make homemade custard. Spread the jam on the pieces of pound cake and place on the bottom of the ramekin or bowl you are using.