Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

It is May, and that means STRAWBERRIES!!!  When I declared that it was a Strawberry Day, my oldest child requested a trifle, my middle child pleaded for a strawberry shortcake, and my youngest demanded blueberries and strawberries mixed together.  As I was contemplating how to weave together their "requests," Angela called to inform me that she had gotten four goose eggs from the farmers' market and that it was my job to use them well.  I had not cooked with goose eggs before, but there is a first time for everything...and I had a foodie plan forming.  (Insert maniacal laughter.)

As expected, the sound of me puttering around in the kitchen brought the pitter patter of little feet and the frantic grasping of little hands vying for the "cooking chair" and the prime spot in front of the mixing bowl.  It may have resulted in one or two of the more zealous sous chefs being expelled from the kitchen.  Hey, cooks are short tempered, everyone knows that!  (But if this harshes your warm fuzzy vision of mother and child in the kitchen together, just skim over that part.)

First, for the short cake!  I wanted something tender, but strong enough to hold up to the weight of the berries and the rich custard, so I decided on almonds!

Shortcake

1 c. sweet rice flour

1 c. sweet sorghum flour

1 c. ground almond flour (I just grind it in the food processor until finely ground)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

3/4 c. cold butter, cut into pieces

1/3 c. buttermilk (or soured milk)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 9 inch pie pan, and set aside.  Combine all the dry ingredients, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles crumbs.  Add buttermilk and stir until a dough forms.  Spread the batter into the pie pan and bake for approximately 15 - 20 minutes, or until set in the middle and the cake starts to turn lightly golden.  Cool on wire rack; meanwhile...

Next, it is time to start the strawberry and blueberry filling...okay, this part was easy; you just, well, cut up strawberries and fresh, whole blueberries.  How easy is that? 

Finally, for the custard:

Just so you know, my kids were amazed at how much bigger goose eggs were than "regular" eggs...

Custard

2 goose eggs (or 3 large eggs...as my kids call them "regular eggs")

2 c. milk

1/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Pinch salt 

before you start cooking the custard, prepare a large bowl 1/2 full with water and ice and place it in the sink.  Then begin cooking...

Crack the eggs into a medium saucepan...

Then add the milk, sugar, and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.  

Cook until the egg mixture coats a metal spoon...

Then remove the pan from the heat and place the pan into the ice water, and continue stirring for 2 minutes to cool.  Stir in the vanilla and pour the custard in a bowl, cover the custard with plastic wrap to keep a skin from forming on the custard.  Refrigerate until ready to assemble and serve.

Assembly

You can leave the cake in the pie pan.  Cover the cake with the berries

 

and drizzle the custard over the berries.

I meant to take some to Angela as a "thank you" for the eggs.  Unfortunately, we ate it all.  Um, yeah, sorry Angela!