Dolly’s bramble trifle

“Pete’s partner, Dolly Sweet, is brilliant at baking and desserts. Every autumn she makes this trifle using brambles they’ve picked themselves. Trifle is perfect for when people are over as it looks great and can be made in advance. ”

200 g ready-made madeira sponge

100 ml sweet sherry

100 g amaretti biscuits

300 g brambles

300 ml double cream

CUSTARD

500 ml milk

150 ml double cream

8 large free-range egg yolks

75 g sugar

1 heaped tablespoon cornflour

Method

1. For the custard, pour the milk and cream into a saucepan and place over a medium heat.
2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together until smooth.
3. As soon as the milk mixture starts to bubble at the edges, pour it into the egg yolk mix, whisking all the time.
4. Return the mix to the saucepan and place it back over the heat. Using a spatula, stir the custard until it thickens, then remove from the heat and pour into a clean bowl.
5. Cover with greaseproof paper and set aside to cool completely.
6. Break the sponge into chunks and layer over the base of a glass trifle dish. Splash on the sherry and let the __cake soak it up.
7. Crumble three-quarters of the amaretti biscuits over the sponge, then cover with the brambles, saving the best-looking ones (about a third) for the top. Spoon the cooled custard over the top and smooth out as best you can.
8. Whip the double cream to soft peaks, then spoon it over the custard and smooth out. Decorate the trifle with the rest of the brambles, then put in the fridge for 3 hours to set.
9. Just before serving, crumble the rest of the amaretti over the trifle.
10. To serve, scoop big spoonfuls into bowls, making sure you reach the bottom, so every serving has a mix of all the layers.