Lemon-Raspberry Plate Trifle

from How to be Domestic Goddess
Nigella Lawson
Woman-about-the-arts and confirmed coobook addict Jane Marsland has given her stamp of approval to Nigella Lawson's Domestic Goddess based on the banana loaf. Since, like us, her previous gold standard for same was James Beard's recipe (the one without the nuts) in Beard on Bread ($21), we respect her opinion. Like the late Richard Sax, Lawson writes with the voice of a good friend offering suggestions rather than rules which must be followed because she knows best. Colour photos. $50.00.

This, as I've already buttonholed you about, is a deconstructed, pared-down version of the original: sliced lemon-syrup cake sprinkled with raspberries, topped with syllabub and then scattered with almonds. It's simple, and it's perfect.

For the lemon-syrup loaf itself, see 'Cakes,' p13, but double the amount of syrup stipulated: you want the cake drenched, not merely doused. In fact, you need only half the cake, but as you can't actually make half a cake, there will be some left over -- hardly a problem. If you want to make enough for 10 or 12, simply use the whole cake, and double the topping ingredients below.

2 tablespoons flaked almonds
8 tablespoons dry sherry
4 tablespoons caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon rosewater (optional)
juice and zest of one lemon
300ml double cream
1 lemon-syrup cake with double syrup (see page 13)
2 punnets raspberries

Put the flaked almonds into a dry frying pan and put over a medium heat to toast them. When they're golden and aromatic, remove to a plate and set aside to cool.
Mix the sherry, sugar, rosewater and lemon juice and zest in a bowl large enough to make the cream when whipped. I find the best way to grate the lemon zest is by using a Microplane fine grater: this way the peel's tender and shredded enough not to need the straining later. Leave an hour if you've got it, or else give it a good stir and make sure the sugar's dissolved fully. Slowly, while whisking by hand, add the double cream. Then -- for ease -- switch to an electric mixer and beat till airy and floppily bulky.

Slice half the cake onto a large oval plate, or one of whatever size and shape looks about right to you, and then empty out the punnets of raspberries on top. Flop over the syllabub and scatter the toasted almonds on top. Perfect for pudding outside on a summer's evening.

Serves 4-6.

Variation
Make the syrup cake with lime instead of lemon and replace the raspberries with a pawpaw, deseeded, peeled, sliced and spritzed with lime. Make the syllabub with white rum instead of the sherry and 2 passionfruit in place of the lemon, and instead of topping with flaked almonds, just scoop out the beady pulp of 2 or 3 passionfruit.

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