English Trifle or Zuppa Inglese

Serves people

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, soak the cake or lady fingers in just enough Kirsch to soften them but not turn them to mush.
  2. In a chilled metal bowl, whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue whipping until the peaks stiffen and no gritty sugar remains. Do not overwhip! The cream might break.
  3. In a glass bowl than can hold about three quarts, make a layer of the cake at the bottom. With a spatula, spread a half-inch-thick layer of pastry cream on top of it. Cover (incompletely) with some of the strawberries, banana slices, cake, and nuts. Spread a layer of whipped cream over the fruit, then top with a layer of kiwis, blueberries, cake and nuts. Spread more pastry cream, and make two more layers as above.
  4. Top the bowl with whipped cream and stud it with some of all of the ingredients in the layers below. Refrigerate until serving time.
  5. To serve, use a big spoon and scoop through two layers to get all the ingredients. It's prettiest when served in glass dishes.

Ingredient List