Strawberry Trifle.

I have made the traditional sherry trifle many times, and usually at Christmas time. But having found a new series of liqueurs recently, (well, new to me) I really wanted to see if this would work, and it did.

The liqueurs are VOK made here in Australia. With some really sexy and delicious cocktails at their website. www.voktails.com.au (Have a look at *Sex on the Beach*)

I used the Orange Curacao in the Chocolate Orange Cake. (See under my labels)

I also wanted to try it with making blancmange instead of the custard, but when it came to the making, I had no cornflour. So good old BIRDS CUSTARD with a dash of strawberry essence did the trick.

I used shop bought sponge but you could use

your own.

To make your layers.

Slice cake and put in bottom of large bowl.

Dollop strawberry jam over this.

Pour the Strawberry liqueur over the cake.

Then soak over night.

Make 1 litre of custard and allow to cool.

Put over the soaked cake.

(I let mine get very cold in the fridge, before adding the cream.)

Whip cream until it forms peaks.

Spread over the custard.

Decorate with fresh strawberries.

Do hope you have fun with making yours and do visit that web site. They have some lovely recipes there. I am a big VOK fan now, and will be getting the Melon next.

Choc/Orange Cake

I actually saw this on another blog http://ohmy-applepie.blogspot.com The lovely Erica had made it for herself as a treat. And I thought I needed treating too, so to change it a little, I added a rich choc/orange icing and added lotza booze in the form of Orange Curacao. I have just discovered this little delight and now drink it with ice and lemonade.

What you will need to copy me.

250g S.R. Flour.

225g Butter (room temp)

175g Caster Sugar.

50g Cocoa.

3 Eggs (beaten)

Juice, zest and some pulp from 2 Oranges.

A good slurp of Orange Curacao.

For the icing.

1 bar good quality dark Chocolate.

50g Butter.

1 cup Icing Sugar.

Juice, zest and some pulp from 1 Orange.

And, a good slurp of Orange Curacao.

Preheat the oven to 180c.

Grease a large loaf or cake tin.

In a mixer combine the sifted flour, butter, sugar, cocoa and eggs.

Stir in the orange zest and pulp.

Pour in the juice and booze, mix well.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour, or until the skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool before turning out on to a cooling rack for yet more cooling.

While this is happening, do the icing.

Over a sauce pan of simmering water, melt the

chocolate and butter together.

Add and mix in the orange zest, pulp and juice.

Sift in the icing sugar and stir well and last,

the booze. Mix well.

Spread over the cake while the icing is still warm.

Do hope you indulge in this fabulous cake, and again THANK YOU Erica.