The American Trifle by Rossi

Ingredients

1 qt              Whipping Cream               white

To taste       Vanilla

To taste       Sugar

2 pts            Blueberries                        blue

2 pts            Strawberries                      red

4                 Bananas                              whatever

3 shots                  Cognac – in a flat bowl or plate or, I guess, Brandy

3 shots                  Strawberry Schnapps – in a flat bowl or plate

or Chamborde

or Strawberry Pucker or Whatever

1 store bought        Angel Food Cake or

1  Frozen        Pound Cake

or   1 Pkg             Lady Fingers (preferred by the purist)

Rinse Blueberries, add sugar, and allow them to macerate overnight.  Clean Strawberries and slice in half, length wise, add sugar, and macerate overnight.  Slice Bananas in half, length wise, and add lemon juice to keep from browning.

Cut Angle Food Cake in half, then slice into ½ inch half rings.  If pound cake is used, slice into ½ inch slices, unless it’s a bunt pan cake then slice like the Angle Food. If using Lady Fingers, use whole.

(To carry it to an event I placed the top of the two piece trifle bowl in a mixing bowl of ice wrapped with a tea towel.)

Whip cream in three batches. To the First Batch, add 1 Tbs. of Strawberry Schnapps (red food coloring may also be added for effect – optional). To the Second Batch, add 1 Tbs. of Cognac. To the Third Batch, add extra vanilla.

Layer Large Trifle Bowl:  Hint keep bowl clean except for layers you’re working. Dipping Cake or Lady Fingers in the Cognac (careful not to saturate and make soggy) arrange in bottom of bowl to cover. Next, cover with Banana slices carefully bringing to edge for show then cover First Batch of Whipped Cream to complete layer one. Dip Cake or Lady Fingers in the Strawberry Schnapps and cover layer one, place Strawberries starting at edge of bowl, reserving some handsome berries for top decoration and all the juice for the next layer, add Second Batch of whipped cream to complete layer two. Combine remaining Cognac, Schnapps (if any, if not get some), and Juice from both barriers into flat bowl or plate and dip remaining cake and cover layer two, place blueberries starting at edge of bowl to cover cake and add batch three of the whipped cream. Decorate top with remaining fruit (also may decorate sides as you build) chill and serve.