English trifle

Pastry cream
3 tablespoons cream sherry
Lemon poppy seed cake made without poppy seeds, or other sponge cake
2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) heavy (double) cream
1/4 cup (1 oz/30 g) confectioners` (icing) Sugar
1 cup (4 oz/125 g) Raspberries
1 1/2 cups (6 oz/185 g) strawberries, stems removed
1 cup (10 oz/310 g) strawberry jam
3/4 cup (6 fl oz/180 ml) cream sherry
1 cup (3 1/2 oz) blanched sliced (flaked) Almonds, toasted

1. To make the sherry Custard, prepare the pastry cream as directed and add the cream sherry prior to cooling. Whisk together until thoroughly blended. Let cool as directed in the pastry cream recipe.
2. To make the trifle, cut the cooled lemon cake or sponge cake into slices 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick and set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine the cream and confectioners` Sugar and whisk to form soft peaks. Cover and refrigerate.
4. In a blender, combine the Raspberries with 1 cup (4 oz/125 g) of the strawberries and blend on medium speed until smooth, 30-40 seconds.
5. To assemble the trifle, pour about 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) of the cooled pastry cream into the bottom of a 3-qt (3-l) glass bowl. Drizzle 4-5 tablespoons (2-2 1/2 fl oz/60-75 ml) of the berry purйe over the custard. Spread one side of the cake slices with the jam. Arrange enough of the cake slices, jam-side up, in a single layer to cover the custard, then sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the sherry over the top. Sprinkle some of the toasted almond slices over the cake, and top with a layer of the whipped cream, spreading the cream to the edges. Starting with the pastry cream, repeat the layers in the same manner until all the ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of whipped cream.
6. Garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.