British Berry Trifle

I think it’s the winter doldrums, or the fact that I look out onto the 2014 calendar and see a monotony of sorts – work, weekend, repeat – but I am fixated on finding a vacation for John and I this year. I think last year and our numerous explorations ignited something that I have always felt was hidden deep inside of me – that curiosity to see everything in the world…immediately! And I don’t just want to see it, I want to live it.Nothing would have made me happier than spending a few months in our little hotel in Paris; or even in our apartment in Munich. There’s just something to be said for going somewhere else…you seem to find yourself when you’re farthest from home. And now that all I see is home, I’m itching to get out and do something else. The real problem is not the lack of places to go – the problem is focusing myself onto only one place to go. Pretty much every day, I get travel alerts from various hotels, trip sites, etc. which make me change my destination again and again.

Iceland, Costa Rica, Greece. These have all been on my top “to-see” lists for some time. But now we’ve added Ireland, Spain, Rio, Galapagos Islands. I am not kidding, I’m literally all over the world. Until I can narrow myself down, we’ll have to enjoy these other areas of the world at home in our kitchen. When we were in London, we ate a lot of traditional foods but we never had a trifle. When I found Nigella Lawson’s Boozy British Trifle in Parade Magazine, I knew I had to give it a try. It’s been overhauled by what I had in the house but it’s still delicious!

British Berry Trifle (adapted from Nigella Lawson)
Serves: 4
Custard:
2 cups heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon amaretto
Base:
1 orange pound cake loaf
1/2 cup sweet sherry
1 orange
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups raspberries (if you’re going to use frozen, let them thaw)
Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar

Custard: In a large saucepan, heat the cream until it is simmering, but not boiling. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, whole eggs, and sugar in a bowl. Once the cream reaches the simmering point, take it off the heat and slowly pour over the eggs, whisking the whole time, until the cream is fully incorporated. Wash out the saucepan and pour the uncooked custard back into it. Over medium heat, stir constantly until it is thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Pour it into a cold clean bowl and whisk in the amaretto. Cover the custard with plastic wrap, making sure plastic wrap touches the surface of the custard so a skin does not form. Refrigerate until cool..

Base: Cut the pound cake into 1-inch cubes. In 4 large glasses, evenly arrange the pound cake in the bottom of each. Pour the sherry over them and allow it to soak in. In a small bowl, zest the orange and toss with the sugar and berries. Evenly pour the berry mixture over the cake. When the custard is cool, remove plastic wrap and scrape the custard on top of the berries. It should be only soft-set so easily pourable. Cover the tops of the glasses and refrigerate for 12-48 hours.