A Mere Trifle; sweet things for New Year's Eve

Two things in one today, both making good use of Battenberg materials. We had plenty of leftover raspberry and plain sponge that was too thin for a Battenberg (rising cakes are hard at altitude I'm told) plus half the marzipan. The sponge was an ideal excuse for a trifle, Delia Smith has a great recipe which I used, including homemade custard. Then the marzipan provided an opportunity for some cutting, shaping and finishing!

Raspberries and blackberries soaked in cherry brandy overnight and a little sugar added for a few hours in the morning.

A bit of cutting and arranging of the sponge in the base of the bowl. I didn't put raspberry jam on the sponge as I'd soaked the fruit.

Put the fruit over the sponge and arrange as a nice even layer. Pop it back in the fridge while we make the custard.

Egg yolks, caster sugar and cornflour/cornstarch beaten.

Heat double cream, I added a little full cream milk also as I wanted just over 16oz to go with my 5 egg yolks increased from 3 - i.e. 2/3 more. Keep to below 160F and stir to evenly heat. I used a candy thermometer because one was available but I've made this before without and Delia doesn't call for it.

The hot cream goes not the egg/sugar/cornstarch mix - stirring all the time, I used a whisk as it was already in the bowl. Then tip it all back into the pan, and put over a Leow heat, stirring until it thickens, don't worry if it takes a while, take it slowly no more than a half heat is needed.

While the custard is cooling, just left off the heat not put in the fridge, slice and arrange a few bananas over three fruit. Last time I put the custard in the fridge but that was in 30C in Singapore, but don't leave it in too long.

Pour the cooled, not cold, custard over the layer of bananas and smooth out to the edges.

Put this in the fridge to cool. Then whip the cream for the topping and sprinkle some almonds over for decoration. I whipped the cream by hand as I find that when I use an electric whisk I go too far and the cream is to firm.

Now for the marzipan part!  Rolled out and cut to make some letters and nice little lumps.  Then melt some chocolate, this was a 3.5oz bar of dark chocolate with a half teaspoon of shortening, melted over hot water. I was amazed how far such a tiny bit of chocolate went, I could have covered the letters down their sides too I think, but looks ok maybe better like this.