Definitely not Ye Olde English Classic, but very delicious and very contemporary. Using store-bought sponge cake (ask for it at your supermarket bakery) or pound cakes simplifies assembly.

Serves 12.

INGREDIENTS

  • for syrup
  • 3tablespoons water
  • 2tablespoons sugar
  • 3tablespoons cognac or other brandy

    for mocha pastry cream

  • 2cups whole milk
  • 1tablespoon instant espresso powder
  • 1vanilla bean, split lengthwise

    6large egg yolks

  • 3/4cup sugar
  • 1/4cup cornstarch
  • 3ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

    1 3/4cups chilled whipping cream

    for assembly

  • 2purchased 8-inch-diameter, 1- to 1 1/4-inch-thick round sponge cakes, each cut horizontally in half
  • 3/4cup raspberry preserves (about 10 ounces)
  • 2cups fresh or frozen raspberries (unthawed)

    2cups fresh raspberries

  • 2tablespoons red currant jelly, melted with 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 1/2teaspoons sugar
  • red currant bunches or red grape clusters (optional)


    DIRECTIONS

    Make syrup:
    Combine 3 tablespoons water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Mix in Cognac. Cool.


    Make mocha pastry cream:
    Combine milk and espresso powder in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Discard bean.
    Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in large bowl until very thick, about 3 minutes. Sift in cornstarch; beat to blend well. Gradually beat hot milk mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until mixture comes to boil, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Transfer to medium bowl. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream. Refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover syrup and store at room temperature. Keep pastry cream refrigerated.)


    Whisk cold pastry cream until smooth. Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream in large bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. Transfer 1 1/2 cups whipped cream to another medium bowl; set aside to use as topping. Stir 1/3 of remaining whipped cream from large bowl into pastry cream to lighten. Fold remaining whipped cream from large bowl into pastry cream in 2 additions.


    Assemble:
    Place 1 cake layer in bottom of 8-inch-diameter, 3-quart trifle bowl. Brush 1/4 of syrup over cake. Spread 3 tablespoons raspberry preserves over cake. Spread 1 cup pastry cream over. Arrange 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries atop pastry cream. Repeat layering 3 times with remaining cake layers, syrup, preserves, pastry cream and 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries.


    Spread reserved 1 1/2 cups whipped cream over trifle. Top whipped cream with 2 cups fresh raspberries. Lightly brush red currant jelly mixture over raspberries. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Garnish with red currant bunches or grape clusters, if desired. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)