Fourth of July Trifle

For the Pastry Cream

 3             egg yolks

3             cups milk

1/2          cup sugar

1/3          cup cornstarch

1/4          tsp. salt

3/4          tsp. vanilla

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat egg yolks in medium bowl or glass measure; gradually stir in milk until blended.
2. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually stir in a small amount of milk mixture, making a smooth paste. Gradually stir in remaining milk mixture until blended.
3. cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, 20 to 25 minutes. Boil and stir 1 minute. remove from heat immediately.
4. COOLquickly: Set pan in larger pan of ice water. Stir occasionally and gently for a few minutes to hasten to cool. Stir in  Press a piece of plastic wrap onto surface of pastry cream to prevent a “skin” from forming. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.

 

For the Assembly

1 pound fresh blueberries

1 pound fresh strawberries, quartered

1 pint cubed pound cake.

2 cups pastry cream

½ cup raspberry sauce

 

Procedure

Reserve about one quarter (4 ounces) of each berry for topping the finished dessert.

cut the cubed pound cake in a bowl and sprinkle lightly with a sweet, flavorful liquor or wine such as sherry,  A non-alcohol substitute such as white grape juice or pomegranate juice would work well. If you use a colored liquid it will color your pound cake, however.

In a straight sided clear glass bowl add a layer of the pound cake cubes. Ladle 4 ounces of pastry cream and spread it evenly over the cake. Top the pastry cream with about ¼ of the remaining berries. Repeat the process with the remaining cake and berries, holding the reserved berries for the top. Use the remaining pastry cream to form a smooth finish to the top of the trifle and decorate the final layer with the reserved berries.