Trifle Part 1: The Spongeblob Redemption

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by
Waz
on October 23, 2007
in Cakes, breads and baking, Christmas recipes, Cooking videos, Desserts and puddings, English traditional and Video recipes
.

Windows video
mp4 video

Remember Sponge Blob Square Pan? The absolute debacle where we tried to cook a sponge cake?

It was back in the very early days of Crash Test Kitchen. We’ve learnt a few things since then, but the idea of cooking a simple sponge still gives us the collywobbles.

But then Lenny went and decided she wanted to make a classic English trifle - and of course that involves a sponge cake sliced into fingers. This time we armed ourselves with Allegra McEvedy’s “Never Fail Victoria Sponge” recipe, as handed down by her mum and published at the Word of Mouth food blog of the Observer Food Monthly, where we do some cameo appearances.

We still don’t have two matching sponge tins, but it didn’t matter this time as the cake is destined to be sliced up anyway. We did, however, find the recipe made a little less mixture than we expected.

For those not familiar with trifle: it’s a dessert made from layers of fruit, custard, sponge cake and cream, presented as attractively as possible in a suitable bowl, and optionally embellished with some almond flakes or chocolate shavings on top. With a few splashes of sherry added if you want to make a “tipsy” one.

I never liked trifle as a kid, mainly because to me it was a mish-mash of a whole lot of things I would have preferred to eat separately. Also, it’s commonly made with jelly (Jello to North Americans), and I’ve never been much of a fan.

This episode also shows us grappling with custard - just how DO you tell when it’s thick enough?

Enough for now. Lenny will write more when we post for Part 2 of our trifle-making adventures.

- Waz.

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3 Responses to “Trifle Part 1: The Spongeblob Redemption”

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  1. 1 Jenny
    October 23, 2007 at 10:24 pm

    Thanks for the episode!

    You got back on the sponge cake horse. Good for you! I make a “lazy” trifle with brownies, cherries, cream, toffee, and other bits (kahlua on top). But yours looks much more legit.

    I think I heard you suggest you wouldn’t want the milk at room temperature. Lots of baking recipes ask for the milk at room temp., and they do mean it. Just measure it out and let the chill come off it before using. On the other hand, you were right to suggest “whizzalating” (however you’d spell that!) as a way to make the sugar more similar to castor/caster. In the US some call that superfine sugar (this website is a good reference for translations: http://www.happydaycards.com/ww/foodtranslations.html) and regular white sugar (granulated) whizzed in a food processor for a few minutes can be substituted for castor/super fine sugar.

    Thanks again! I’m looking forward to the second half.

  2. 2 Janet
    October 26, 2007 at 3:39 am

    oooh a cliffhanger…that’s so mean. :) I hope this one turns out better then the last one!

    Oh and Jenny (comment above) thanks for the tip about the food processor and sugar. I had never thought of doing that before.

  3. 3 Administrator
    October 29, 2007 at 1:37 pm

    Jenny, Janet: I love it when the fans come together.

    Lenny.

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