Selena Robins, Author

On a recent trip to San Diego’s Little Italy, we came across an English Pub with the Beatles tune, “I want to hold your hand…” blaring from inside. (I have a tendency to sing along when I hear music, and there may have been a few dance steps involved. My husband just leans against a post and waits it out. He’s not into PDOSAD <public displays of singing and dancing>) But I digress…

This sign stood out front. I love the Beatles (especially Paul McCartney) and, had we not already had lunch, I would have ventured inside to have a Paul McCartney Veggie Beatle Burger.

Instead, I took a picture of the menu.

Welcome to another edition of Tasty Tuesday. This week, I’m sharing an English Trifle recipe. 

My husband will often times proofread my blog before I upload it. Tonight, he didn’t read all the way through when he stopped and asked. “How did you go from blogging about a pub sign in San Diego to a Beatle’s veggie burger to a trifle recipe?”

You’d think he’d be able to follow my thought process after all these years together. I’m sure you’ve figured it out.

For those who haven’t, it’s real simple.

Paul McCarntey and the Beatles are from England.

Trifle is English.

Hence, it makes sense to share a trifle recipe after showing you the picture of the pub menu.

Right?

Right.

ENGLISH TRIFLE

My mum-in-law used to make the best trifle ever.

Actually, hers was the first and only trifle I had ever tasted, but I’m pretty sure if I tasted others hers would still rank as five stars in my opinion.

Here is the recipe she used to use, although, I have had to tweak it because none of us like Sherry, so this is a non-boozy trifle.

You can use store bought box mix for the custard, instead of making the custard from scratch, but I’ve never had it that way, so I can’t give you my stamp of personal approval on the boxed custard.

Ingredients:

5 oz milk

8 1/2 oz heavy cream

4 TBSP sugar

6 large egg yolks

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed (or 2 tsp. of artificial vanilla)

8 oz sponge or pound cake, cut into thick slices

1 can of peaches, sliced

1 pint of fresh strawberries (or raspberries)

2 cups whipping cream, softly whipped

Directions:

In a large, round glass bowl, layer the bottom with slices of pound cake (or sponge cake). Pour the juice of the canned peaches over the cake. Add the sliced peaches on top of cake. Set aside and make your custard.

Custard:

Turn stove top to medium-low.

In a saucepan add milk and cream and one teaspoon of sugar.

Bring to a gentle simmer. Once it is simmering, turn the heat to its lowest.

In a large heat proof bowl, add the rest of the sugar and the egg yolks. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. The color should be a pale yellow.

Keep whisking and slowly pour the warmed milk into the egg mixture.

Strain the custard sauce through a fine sieve and then pour it back into the saucepan then add the seeds from the vanilla pod.

Over low heat, stir constantly.

The custard will gradually thicken.

Keep whisking, and make sure the heat is on low, as you don’t want to burn your custard or have it look like curdles.

Once the custard is thickened, removed from the heat and pour through a sieve again.

Once it is cooled, wrap the bowl with saran wrap and put it in the fridge, while you assemble the rest of the elements for your trifle.

Add the fresh strawberries (or raspberries) evenly on top of the peach slices.

Spoon the custard over evenly in a thick layer.

Top with a thick layer of whipped cream.

P.S. Okay, the real reason I went from the sign to the trifle. I liked that picture and so wanted to work it into a blog…it worked, right?