Banana Trifle (Traditional Vanilla Custard Used)

A trifle may have as many layers as you want. Usually it will have a layer of cake, custard, fruits & nuts, jam and whipped cream. I am not fond of jam and whipped cream, so I haven't used it. This is a great dish to make with left over cake at home.It is quite a filling dessert. It looks very colorful and appealing. This dish completely enthralls kids.

Ingredients:-

CAKE: Banana Cake (bread) crumbs . The cake layer should be thicker than the custard layer, so that the cake doesn't get soggy.

CUSTARD:-

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup thickened cream
• 1 tsp vanilla essence (100% pure)
  
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon cornflour (if you want it thicker, increase the amt)
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Method:-

1. Combine milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan. Add 1 tsp of pure vanilla essence.
2. Keep the flame at medium heat and go on stirring. Don't let it boil.
   
3. Whisk egg yolks, cornflour and sugar in a bowl. Pour hot milk mixture over egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly (you may use a beater too).
4. Return mixture to saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 15 to 20 minutes or until custard thickens and coats the back of a metal spoon (do not allow custard to boil, as it might curdle).
5. Serve custard warm or cold over stewed fruit, pancakes or crumbles.
6. If cooling custard for later use, cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming.

FRUITS AND NUTS:-
1/2 a cup of chopped musk melon
3-4 slices if banana
1 tsp of crushed almonds and walnuts (for each trifle cup)

Method to make the trifle:-

In each trifle cup, add a thick base layer of banana cake crumbs.
Add a layer of custard covering the cake layer.
Decorate the top of the cup with musk melons, bananas and nuts. I have placed a tiny peeled orange at the center. Around the oranges are the bananas and on the periphery of the cup are the chopped musk melons.I have sprinkled the nuts on top of the fruits.
Serve immediately after layering the trifle.

Make sure the custard, cake and fruits are cold when served.