Tipsy Laird

This is a Scottish trifle flavoured with Drambuie.  It is rich and creamy and worth the extra work.  Take the time to make the spongecake and especially the Ratafia biscuits.  The Creme anglais is easy and is best home made.

9 inch sponge cake
1/2 cup raspberry jam, warmed
1 cup crumbled ratafia biscuits
1/2 cup Drambuie
2 cups creme anglaise

Garnish
1 cup whipping cream
2 tsp Drambuie
1/4 cup slivered almonds

1. Dice sponge cake into 2 inch cubes.  Use half the cubes to fill the base of an 8 cup glass bowl.  Top with raspberry jam and half the crumbled cookies.  Add the remaining cake and the remaining ratafia biscuits.
2. Pour Drambuie over cake mixture.  Spoon over creme anglaise.  Chill.
3. For garnish; place cream in bowl and stir in Drambuie.  Whisk with electric beaters until cream holds soft peaks.  Spoon over trifle.   Decorate with slivered almonds.

Sponge Cake

3 eggs separated

Pinch Salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Line a 9 inch square cake pan with parchment paper.  Butter and sugar the sides.  Stir together egg yolks, salt and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl.  Reserve remaining 1/4 cup sugar for the egg whites. Beat mixture with electric beaters until it triples in volume.
3. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites, slowly beating in reserved sugar a tablespoon at a time.  The mixture will hold stiff peaks and be thick and glossy when the beater is removed.
4. Stir in one quarter of egg whites into yolk mixture to lighten it.  Fold in half of flour, remaining egg whites, then remaining flour.
5. Spoon mixture into prepared cake pan and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool on rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and continue to cool right side up on the rack.  When cool, cut into 2 inch cubes.

Makes 6 cups sponge cubes

Ratafia Biscuits

A nutty crisp cookie, easy to make and easy to eat!

1 cup ground almonds
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 drop almond extract

1. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Combine almonds, egg whites, sugar, flour and extract in a bowl.  Whisk with electric beaters until thick and slightly pasty.
3. Drop by 1 tbsp measures onto cookie sheet.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a pale gold.  Cool on a rack.  The cookies will become crisp as they cool.

Makes about 15  cookies

Creme Anglaise

Creme anglaise is a pouring custard frequently served in Britain over tarts and with fruit.  This version is slightly thicker but is still runny.  It smothers the cake and jam for wonderful flavour.

2 cups milk or 10% cream

6 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla

1. Heat milk in pot over medium heat until hot.  In a large bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together until well combined.  Slowly beat in the warm milk.
2. Transfer back to pot and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of spoon or spatula, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Add vanilla.
3. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl.  Sprinkle sugar lightly over top to prevent a skin from forming.  Cool then chill.

Makes 2 cups