Authentic English Triffle

We are so ready for this...

According to Amanda’s Cooking, the English didn’t “invent” the trifle, the Scottish did. The Scots have recipes that date back to the late 1500’s.

But, since Scotland and England united to become the United Kingdom, calling the trifle “English” is accurate it seems.

This recipe is wonderful, borrowed from Amanda’s Cooking at:

Amanda's Cooking

Traditional English Trifle

Ingredients

CUSTARD LAYER

4 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 egg yolks

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoon cornstarch

CAKE LAYER

9x13 white or yellow cake, baked and cooled

1/2 cup cream sherry

3 heaping tablespoons seedless red raspberry jam or preserves

FRUIT LAYER

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon cream sherry

1 tablespoon sugar

WHIPPED CREAM

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Custard

Combine the milk, heavy cream and vanilla in a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, stirring frequently. 

Heat the milk mixture over low-medium heat until it just begins to simmer and steam rises from the surface.

Meanwhile, mix the sugar and cornstarch together with a fork. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar mixture until light and smooth.

HINT: I use my KitchenAid for this, but only as a stand. 

I hand whisk but use the bowl of the mixer attached to the machine so that I don't have to hold the bowl as well. 

This allows me to whisk and pour at the same time, which is needed in the next step.

Remove the warmed milk from the stove and while whisking the egg yolks constantly, dribble a few drops at a time into the yolks. 

Adding the hot liquid very, very slowly in the beginning will temper the eggs, allowing them to warm gradually so that they don't curdle, or worse, scramble! 

Once you have dribbled in a good amount you can increase the amount of liquid you add at a time, whisking continuously until all the milk has been added.

Pour the contents of the mixer bowl into the saucepan and heat over medium, stirring constantly. 

Keep stirring, ensuring that the milk mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan, until thickened, anywhere from 2-6 minutes. 

Custard will be thick and smooth. Pour into a shallow bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap so that the plastic is touching the surface of the custard. 

This will prevent a skin from forming on top. Cool in the refrigerator until chilled.

For the Cake

Cut the cake into large manageable squares. 

Cut those squares in half horizontally. Open the squares so that the cut sides are facing up. 

Brush the cake with the cream sherry. 

Spread the sherries cake with the raspberry jam. 

Cut the cake into cubes.

For the Fruit

In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, raspberries, sherry and sugar. 

Stir to coat and allow to macerate. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the trifle.

For the Whipped Cream

Combine the heavy whipping cream and the powdered sugar in a larger mixer bowl. 

Beat on high for 2 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.

Assemble the Trifle

Place 1/3 of the cake cubes in the bottom of the trifle dish, jam side up. 

Top the cake cubes with 1/3 of the fruit, followed by 1/3 of the custard and finally with 1/3 of the whipped cream. 

Repeat layers two more times. 

Decorate the top with fresh fruit. 

Keep chilled until ready to serve.

The Vikings Yule Traditions

Yule Smudge Sticks

Making your own Yule Smudge Sticks is fun and a great way to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

The pictures below are self explanatory, take a look and put your personal touch on what you decide to create.

Tarot For Beginners

This is Bright, a professional Tarot reader & teacher, intuitive business coach and spiritual entrepreneur. 

She helps purpose-driven people live an intuitive life with Tarot as a guide.

So, you want to learn to read Tarot? Here are my top 12 Tarot tips to help you, dear Tarot beginner, read Tarot with confidence.

You can learn more here:  Biddy Tarot

1. KEEP IT SIMPLE

It’s easy to get lost in the complex esoteric systems that make up the Tarot, but if you try to learn all of these systems at once, you’ll find yourself becoming quickly overwhelmed.

Instead, make a commitment to yourself to keep it simple. 

Stick to simple spreads, simple meanings and simple techniques. 

You’ll find your confidence grows immensely when you keep it simple.

2. CREATE A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH THE TAROT

I started learning the Tarot cards by reading dozens of Tarot books and trying to memorise the meanings. Not helpful! Not only did I forget all the meanings, I had no personal or intuitive connection with the cards.

But when I started relating on a personal level to the Tarot cards, my intuitive insights took off!

Look to your everyday life for personal examples of the Tarot cards. 

What card best describes your day today? 

What card represents your best friend? Make it personal.

3. SWAP THE CELTIC CROSS FOR A 1-3 CARD SPREAD

Nearly every Tarot beginner book includes the Celtic Cross Tarot spread. 

It’s a beautiful spread, but at 10 cards, it’s not a great place to start for the Tarot beginner.

Instead, use simple 1-3 card Tarot spreads. 

You’ll be pleasantly surprised about how much insight you can gain from even just a 1-card readin

4. DRAW A TAROT CARD A DAY

The best way to learn Tarot and to create a personal connection with the Tarot is to draw a card a day.

Ask the Tarot each day, “What energy do I need to focus on today?” and proactively manifest that energy throughout your day.

Or, ask the Tarot, “What might I experience today?” 

At the end of the day, match up what happened throughout the day and what you 

know of the Tarot card you drew.

Over time, your ‘bank’ of personal experiences with the Tarot will grow and grow.

5. READ THE PICTURE IN THE CARD

One of the easiest ways to understand what a Tarot card means is to look at the picture. 

What is happening? 

Why is it happening? 

What’s the moral of the story?

Then, relate it back to what you are experiencing. 

What can the story in the card tell you about your life right now? 

What new lessons can you learn?

The best thing about this technique is that you don’t have to memorise any meanings! 

You can simply go with what you see in the picture of the card each time.

This technique is so powerful that I spend almost an entire class on it in my program, TF1: Master the Tarot Card Meanings.

6. TUNE IN TO YOUR INTUITION

I know – easier said than done! In fact, most Tarot beginners really struggle with knowing how and when to tune in to their intuition.

My advice? Put down the books, and simply take in the energy of the Tarot card in front of you. 

It doesn’t matter if you connect with a different meaning of the card from what the books say. 

What you are doing is connecting with your intuitive read of the card – which is often way more powerful than regurgitating book meanings!

7. READ TAROT FOR YOURSELF

Ignore anyone who says you can’t read Tarot for yourself. 

Tarot is such a powerful tool for personal development and self-discovery so make use of it. 

In fact, when you are starting out with reading Tarot, you are your best client!

Make time each day to do a short Tarot reading for yourself. 

You’ll learn more about the Tarot and about yourself. Bonus!

8. FIND A STUDY BUDDY

What I love about Tarot is that each and every reader has a different perspective of the Tarot cards. 

So if you’re open to learning even more about the Tarot, find a study buddy and practice reading the cards together. You’ll be able to teach one another about the Tarot, share your diverse perspectives and support each other’s growth.

We love study buddies so much that we help you find your perfect study buddy if you’re a part of my online Tarot program, TF1: Master the Tarot Card Meanings.

9. LEARN THE BASIC SYSTEMS

One of the easiest (and quickest) ways to learn Tarot is to learn the basic systems that underpin the cards. 

For example, if you learn what the numbers 1-9 symbolise and what the four elements represent, you’ve already got a good sense of the 40 Pip Cards (the numbered cards of the Minor Arcana).

Then, get to know the essence of the Page, Knight, Queen and King, combine it with what you know of the elements and you’ll have learned another 16 cards.

Seriously, you don’t need huge memory to master these simple systems.

10. FORGET THE ‘RULES’

Gosh, if I had a dollar every time someone asked me about the ‘rules’ of Tarot, I would be a rich woman! “Am I allowed to buy my own Tarot cards or does someone have to offer them as a gift?” “Am I allowed to read with just the Major Arcana cards?” “Should I let someone else touch my cards?”

Do you know what the number 1 rule of Tarot is? There are no rules! So long as you are ethical in the way you read Tarot, you can safely ignore all those “shoulds” and “musts”!

11. FIND OUT WHAT THE TAROT MEANS TO YOU

One of the most valuable exercises a Tarot beginner can do is ask themselves the question, “How does Tarot work?”

By reflecting on this question and coming up with your own answer, you’ll have a much better sense of what the Tarot means to you and how you can use this tool in the very best way.

Now, the answer is going to differ from reader to reader – and that’s perfectly OK! 

You may see the Tarot as a predictive tool, a coaching tool, or a fun way to impress your friends.

Once you have your answer, write it out, say it out loud, or post it on your blog.Get clear about what it means to you personally. 

That’s what matters most.

12. USE THE TAROT MINDFULLY

One of the biggest mistakes that Tarot beginners make when reading Tarot for themselves is that they ask the same question over and over, hoping to get a better answer each time. 

Or they do a reading when they’re highly emotional or shut down to receiving truthful insight.

Instead, use the Tarot mindfully. 

Draw on the cards when you have an open mind and an open heart. 

Treat the cards (and yourself) with respect and give yourself enough time and space to truly accept the wisdom they have to offer you.