Method

​1 The base layer of the trifle is chocolate brownies – see my brownie recipe. You will only need to use half of the brownies in the trifle so that leaves you the other half for you to enjoy with a cup of tea. I did this the day before. Make a layer of the chocolate brownies in the bottom of the trifle bowl.

2 The second layer of the trifle is black cherries – use a tin of cherry pie filling and spread evenly over the brownies.

3 The third layer of the trifle is chocolate custard.

4 To make the custard: melt the chocolate - either in the microwave or very carefully in a bain-marie (a heatproof bowl placed over a pan of simmering water). Leave to cool.

5 Put the milk and cream into a saucepan with the vanilla extract and bring to just-below boiling point. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

6 Put the egg yolks, caster sugar, cocoa powder and cornflour into a bowl and whisk, preferably with an electric whisk, until the mixture is very well aerated, pale and stiff enough so that it keeps shape when you trail the beaters through it.

7 Pour the slightly cooled milk and cream mixture over the eggs, mixing as you go, then stir in the melted chocolate.

8 Mix thoroughly, then rinse out the saucepan and return the custard to it. Cook, stirring constantly until the custard thickens – this can take anything from 10 and 20 minutes. You will want the heat to be a medium heat, but make sure you do not let the mixture boil and keep stirring. Watch it carefully as you don’t want it to burn or stick to the saucepan!

9 When the custard has thickened to the point of thick double cream, transfer to a jug and cover with clingfilm to stop a skin from forming. When cool, transfer to the fridge – the custard will continue to thicken while it’s chilling. Spread the custard on top of the cherries.

10 The final layer of the trifle is double cream whisked into soft peaks and topped with grated chocolate or chocolate crumbs (I crumbled a flake).