Guy Pascal's English Trifle

Preparation

1. Pastry Cream

   1. Step 1

      In a bowl, mix with a whisk the eggs, sugar, cornstarch and flour. Bring milk to a boil with butter and vanilla bean. When it has boiled, pour ½ cup of milk over the egg mixture, which keeps the pastry cream from curdling.

   2. Step 2

      Add the mixture to the rest of the milk, and cook for about 3 minutes until mixture becomes stiff, whisking the entire time. Press a piece of wax paper directly on the surface of the pastry cream to keep it from forming a skin. Cool the pastry cream.

2. Sponge Cake

   1. Step 3

      Over a double boiler mix eggs and sugar until the mixture becomes warm to the touch. Remove the mixture from the water; whisk until it is cool. Lightly but thoroughly fold in the flour and then the melted butter.

   2. Step 4

      Butter and flour a 9-inch cake mold. Pour in the mixture, and bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes.

   3. Step 5

      Allow the sponge cake to cool overnight, and then cut it into four layers.

3. Assembling the Trifle

   1. Step 6

      Put a few strawberries, raspberries and blueberries aside so that they may be used for decoration.

   2. Step 7

      Place a layer of the sponge cake in a 9-inch glass salad bowl. Sprinkle some of the liqueur mixture over the layer. Spread half of the pastry cream with a spatula over the surface of that layer. Cover the pastry cream with a quarter of the fruit.

   3. Step 8

      Repeat the process with a second layer, using creme fraiche in place of pastry cream and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture. Cover it the same way with fruit. Repeat with the third layer of sponge cake, again using the pastry cream. Repeat with the fourth layer of sponge cake, using creme fraiche and brown sugar mixture, and cover it the same way with fruit.

   4. Step 9

      Whip the heavy cream with 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar and decorate the entire top with whipped cream. Decorate with the fruit you have set aside. Serve cool.