Rich English Trifle

Cut sponge cakes or cake into slices, sandwich them together with jam. Arrange them in bottom of glass bowl. Pour the sherry or wine over them. Leave to soak.

Dissolve the jelly square. Arrange the sponge fingers upright around side of bowl, wetting them with a little jelly to help them stick. Pour remaining jelly over the soaked sponge cakes. Cover with chopped fresh fruit and chopped nuts, reserving some for top of trifle. Leave to set.

Meanwhile make the custard. Warm the milk sufficiently to dissolve the sugar. Beat egg yolks and stir into milk and sugar. Strain into a double saucepan, add vanilla flavouring and stir, with boiling water in lower part of a pan, until custard thickens. When it is cool but not stiff, pour it over contents of bowl, spreading evenly. When quite cold spread with cream.

Decorate with glace cherries, sliced glace fruits, crystallised orange and lemon slices and seeded grapes. Pipe whipped cream around sides and between fruits; decorate with walnut halves, sliced blanched almonds and silver cachous.