Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 4 large free-range eggs
• 3½ oz caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 3½ oz self-raising flour
• 6¼ oz strawberry jam
• 20 ratafia biscuits
• 1 x 28¼ oz tin pear halves in natural juice, drained, juice reserved
• 1 cup medium dry sherry
• 3 large free-range eggs, yolks only, for the custard
• 1¾ oz caster sugar, for the custard
• 1¾ oz cornflour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2½ cups whole milk
• 1¼ cups single cream
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 oz flaked almonds, toasted
• 10 cherries

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the 4 eggs and 3½ oz sugar until pale, thick and leaving a trail. Fold in the flour, pour into a lined Swiss roll tin and bake for 10-12 minutes until springy. Turn out onto sugared paper, cool, then spread with jam, roll up tightly and cut into ¾ in slices.
2. Line the base and sides of a large glass trifle bowl with the sponge slices and scatter the ratafia biscuits between them. Arrange the pear halves over the top. Mix the sherry with 10 Tbsp of the reserved pear juice and pour over so the sponge is well soaked.
3. Make the custard: whisk the yolks, 1¾ oz sugar, cornflour and vanilla with a little of the milk. Heat the remaining milk and the single cream until steaming, pour over the yolk mixture, whisk, return to the pan and stir over a medium heat until thick and boiling. Pour over the pears, cover the surface and leave to cool, then chill for at least 2 hours until set.
4. Whip the whipping cream to soft peaks and spoon or pipe it over the custard.
5. Scatter with the toasted almonds and arrange the cherries on top. Chill until ready to serve.

Prep: 30 min · Cook: 1 h · Total: 3 h 30 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data