Definitely not Ye Olde English Classic, but very delicious and very contemporary. Using store-bought sponge cake (ask for it at your supermarket bakery) or pound cakes simplifies assembly.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 12
Ingredients
For syrup
For mocha pastry cream
For assembly
Preparation
Make syrup:
Step 1
Combine 3 tablespoons water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Mix in Cognac. Cool.
Make mocha pastry cream:
Step 2
Combine milk and espresso powder in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Discard bean. Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in large bowl until very thick, about 3 minutes. Sift in cornstarch; beat to blend well. Gradually beat hot milk mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until mixture comes to boil, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Transfer to medium bowl. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream. Refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover syrup and store at room temperature. Keep pastry cream refrigerated.)
Step 3
Whisk cold pastry cream until smooth. Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream in large bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. Transfer 1 1/2 cups whipped cream to another medium bowl; set aside to use as topping. Stir 1/3 of remaining whipped cream from large bowl into pastry cream to lighten. Fold remaining whipped cream from large bowl into pastry cream in 2 additions.
Assemble:
Step 4
Place 1 cake layer in bottom of 8-inch-diameter, 3-quart trifle bowl. Brush 1/4 of syrup over cake. Spread 3 tablespoons raspberry preserves over cake. Spread 1 cup pastry cream over. Arrange 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries atop pastry cream. Repeat layering 3 times with remaining cake layers, syrup, preserves, pastry cream and 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries.
Step 5
Spread reserved 1 1/2 cups whipped cream over trifle. Top whipped cream with 2 cups fresh raspberries. Lightly brush red currant jelly mixture over raspberries. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Garnish with red currant bunches or grape clusters, if desired. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
