Now that I’m on a break… kinda… from the hustle and bustle of doing Santa doll shows, I thought it might be fun to post some interesting Christmas recipes that I’ve come across.

I don’t really cook all that much throughout the course of the year, but I do get into the spirit of things when it comes to Christmas food.  Here’s an interesting Victorian dessert recipe from England:

Victorian Christmas Trifle (serves 6… or a hungry 3)

8 oz plain sponge cake
1 oz ratafias* (more on this below)
5 tbsp sherry or Madeira
5 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
1 lb frozen raspberries, thawed
3 tbsp caster sugar (in America it’s called superfine)
6 tsp cornflour
½ pint milk
2 beaten egg yolks
½ oz butter
½ tsp almond flavoring
½ pint double cream
½ oz toasted almond flakes
glacé cherries (i.e. candied)
angelica to decorate (tough to find in the US)

• Cut the sponge cakes into small pieces and arrange in a large dish or glass bowl.  Add the ratafias*… then spoon over the sherry.  Let soak for at least 15 minutes.

• Melt the jam in a pan and spread evenly over the sponge.  Arrange the raspberries over the jam.

• Mix 2 tbsp of the sugar and the cornflour in a bowl and blend in the milk gradually.  Microwave at 100% for 3-4 minutes until thick and smooth. Stir twice during cooking.

• Whisk a little of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, then whisk until it’s a hot custard.  Microwave at 50% for 2-3 minutes.  Finally, whisk in the butter and almond flavoring.

• Cool the custard slightly and pour over the raspberries in the dish.  Let it cool completely.

• Whisk the cream with 1 tbsp sugar and spread half the cream over the custard.

• Place the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a star pipe and pipe a lattice pattern over the top. Decorate with the almonds, cherries and angelica.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Now, here’s the thing… I told you this is a British recipe, which means that some of the ingredients might look peculiar.

For instance, what the heck are ratafias?

* Well, it depends because ratafias can be  fragile little biscuits similar to macaroons.  Or, it can be a type of liqueur.

More than likely, this recipe is calling for the cordial or liqueur type of ingredient, which is flavored with the kernels of peaches, apricots, or cherries.  And, evidently American homemakers have been making ratafias, cordials and liqueurs since colonial times.

If you Google ratafias (and even angelica), you’ll find lots of help.

And, then there’s this from the Ode to Mrs Beeton blog post:

“Mrs Beeton has two recipes for trifle – neither of which contain jelly, but both of which contain ‘ratafias’…( I had no idea what ratafias are, but the ever helpful Mrs Beeton explains in the glossary as ‘A culinary essence; the essence of bitter almonds. A special kind of almond biscuit, in the shape of drops, are called ratafias. The name is also give to liqueur flavoured with almonds.’ So there you go).”