This cutting from the Herald Sun Checkout cooking page says ‘any old trifle is dead easy, but a “great” trifle has mystique’. A trifle overdone perhaps, but a good trifle is a great summer dessert. These versions seem to have come from the inaugural ‘Great Trifle’ competition – unsurprisingly not a competition that’s around anymore. Equally I’m not quite sure of how these recipes would work today, but there’s some interesting combinations in them!!!!!
I’m not sure of the age of this recipe, but the milk measurement of 1 gill dates it back a fair way. Mum would serve this with cream and made it often for afternoon teas along with sandwiches and other small cakes and biscuits. I can remember coming home from school, after the guests had left, and being allowed to eat some of the leftovers from the spread she had put on – a great treat.
APPLE SPONGE
Rub butter into flour, beat egg with sugar add milk until combined. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients, add milk mixture. Put the stewed apples in a greased 18cm cake tin and pour mixture over. Bake 30-45 mins in moderate oven 180°C.
I can’t resist putting this recipe in – just for the name alone. Wasn’t sure if it actually worked, so we tested it out and can report that it’s easy to make, tastes good, but does need jam and cream to give it some moisture, but all sponges need jam and cream don’t they?
Mum took up lawn bowls in the late 1970s and she had Dad had many happy and busy years bowling competitively and for fun. Mum sometimes bowled as much as three times a week and as well there were the many social functions where the ladies took along a casserole, cake or dessert to share. I think the ‘Norma Mills’ recipe was probably made by many of the bowlers before they rushed out the door in their lovely while bowls uniforms.
“NORMA MILLS” BUSY BOWLERS SPONGE
Place the sugar and whole eggs into a bowl and beat a high speed for 3 minutes. Sift plain flour, cornflour and baking powder together. Add sifted ingredients to bowl and beat at low speed for 1 minute. Line a cake tin with baking paper, pour mixture in and bake at 180°C in middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Do not open oven door under 20 minutes. When cool remove from tin, slice and fill with jam & cream. Ice or sprinkle with icing sugar, as desired.
**the original recipe says to leave the sugar and eggs in the bowl for 20 minutes before beating, this is because cold eggs, straight from the fridge, will stop is rising and make the sponge heavier
Beb's Recipe Drawer 