English Trifle

Things to do in England:

• Visit Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and the London Zoo
• Take the Jack the Ripper tour — creepy!
• Sample authentic English scones and crumpets
• Discover a dead body

What begins as a holiday trip for amateur sleuth and cooking aficionado Sadie Hoffmiller and her daughter, Breanna, turns into a bizarre mystery. First comes the discovery of a dead body in the sitting room of an English manor belonging to the family of Breanna’s boyfriend, who is also heir to the family title. When the body comes up missing, Sadie and Breanna are stranded at the estate until the police can clear them to leave.

Armed with a jogging whistle, her personal recipe collection, and an unfailing sense of American justice, Sadie begins her own investigation to find the killer. But when she seems to encounter one dead end after another, Sadie wonders if anyone is telling the truth — or if the case is really as hopeless as it appears to be.

Layer by layer, Sadie uncovers a mouth- watering mystery with an English flair. Included are Sadie’s favorite new recipes for American English Trifle, High Tea Lemon Cookies, Coconut Macaroons, Wake ’Em Up Breakfast Casserole, Sausage Rolls, Crumpets, and Sadie’s Scrumptulicious Scones.

Sadie’s American English Trifle

1 yellow or white cake mix (can use pre-made pound or angel food cake), cut into cubes

1 package Danish dessert , raspberry or strawberry (can use Jell-O)

1 packet Bird’s brand custard mix (can use a large box of vanilla pudding)

1–2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed (Shawn prefers raspberries)

2 bananas, sliced
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

A couple of hours before assembling the trifle, prepare the cake mix, the custard mix, and the Danish dessert according to the package directions and allow to cool properly.

In a trifle dish or glass bowl layer all ingredients in the following order — cake cubes, Danish dessert, custard, fruit, and bananas. A trifle dish will usually allow two layers; a glass casserole dish will only allow one. Top trifle with whipping cream and refrigerate until ready to serve. Don’t layer trifle more than six hours before eating or cake will get soggy and bananas may brown. Serves 8.

* If using Jell-O instead of Danish dessert, allow time for Jell-O to set up in refrigerator before serving, about 4 hours.

* Bre’s chocolate trifle: chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, and crushed Oreos instead of fruit. Yummy!