Tiramisu, Tortes & Trifles: My Mother's Apron

Publisher Marketing: "The Trifle, a favorite Victorian recipe, is the perfect party recipe." Trifles have got to be one of the most eye-appealing desserts there are. Just looking at the layers of fruit, cake and custard set the mouth to watering before you even taste it. The charm of Trifle is its different textures. Since these also look interesting, Trifle should be served in a glass bowl so that the effect can be seen to full advantage. As an alternative serve it in individual glass dishes. Trifles can be very easy and quick to prepare or very intricate, taking hours and hours, even days to prepare. I've tried to include recipes for all levels of cooking skills. But please don't be afraid to attempt any of the recipes. Get creative and put together your own combination of your favorite fruits, cakes and custards. I think you'll find most trifle recipes surprisingly easy and the big payoff is the appearance of the finished Trifle, a dessert anyone will be proud to present to your guests and family. Be sure to make it a bit in advance of serving so that the liqueurs or fruit juices have enough time to seep into the cake. For the most part, I like to prepare them the day before I plan on serving it so the flavors can blend.