Christmas Trifle – This is the way my mother used to make it

1 Jam Swiss roll

1 large tin mixed fruit salad
1 Jelly – I usually use red

Drain the tinned fruit and keep the juice
Slice the Swiss roll and arrange the slices around the sides and base of a largish bowl
Put some of the fruit evenly around the lined bowl
Add a few more slices of jam roll
Then add rest of the fruit

Melt the jelly crystals in about 250 mls of hot water. When they have dissolved top the liquid up with the reserved fruit juice to the 500ml level (jelly is supposed to be made with 500ml) If you want the jelly to be firmer make the liquid up to a bit less.
At this stage if you wish to put sherry or the like into the trifle, sprinkle it over the Swiss roll. When kids are involved I leave this out.
Pour the liquid jelly mixture over the roll and fruit in the bowl so that the roll soaks up the jelly.

Refrigerate until jelly is set

When set make up 500ml custard using custard powder.
I use 2tblesps custard powder and 2 tblsps sugar to 500 ml milk. As with all powders, mix a little cold milk with the powder first and add to the warming milk. Keep stirring so that the custard cooks evenly and does not make lumps. Cook until the custard thickens. Allow to cool and pour on top of the trifle. (The purist will stir the custard all the time as it cools so it does not form a skin!!)