12-24 Lady Fingers (or slices of sponge, angel food cake, pound cake &/or almond macaroons)
2-3 c. soft custard
1/2 c. sherry or marsala wine (or 1/4 c. wine plus 1/4 c. orange juice)
1/2-1 c. strawberry jam (or raspberry or red currant jelly)
1 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6-8 almond macaroons (or shortbread cookies)

CUSTARD:

1 qt. milk
4 lg. eggs
1 c. sugar
Pinch salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Line trifle dish (or other crystal or glass serving bowl) with lady fingers or cake slices. Sprinkle with sherry or morsels.

Make custard: Heat milk in top of double boiler until it starts to form a skin. Beat eggs. Add sugar to well beaten eggs. Mix with hot milk, by first adding a little of the milk to egg mixture until warmed and then stir all into the heated milk. Cook over medium or slow heat in top of double boiler, stirring constantly, until it coats a silver spoon. Remove from heat and cool over cold water or in sink 1/2 full of cold water. When cool, add vanilla and salt and stir in gently. Chill (custard can be used alone over Jello, ice cream, fruits or puddings).

Spread jam over bottom layer of lady fingers or cake. Pour in some of custard. Put another layer of cake or lady fingers sprinkled with sherry. Spread with jam. Crumble macaroons if you have them, or shortbread cookies, between layers, if desired. Add more custard. Chill in refrigerator until serving time.

Note: If thicker than "liquid custard" is desired, reduce amount of milk by 1 cup or more.

Whip cream just before serving; Chill mixing bowl and beaters. Beat cream until whipped. Gently add sugar, some at a time. Add vanilla. Keep chilled. Decorate top with maraschino cherry halves and/or crumbs of macaroons. For variety, flavor cream with almond extract instead of vanilla.