Steps
- Bring 750g of frozen mixed berries, 200g of superfine sugar, and 1 liter of water to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Lift out about a tenth of the fruit and juice and set it aside, then cook the rest for 5 minutes more.
- Soak 9 sheets of gelatin in cold water until soft. Mash the fruit left in the pan and strain the syrup through a sieve, leaving the seeds and skins behind.
- Squeeze out the gelatin and stir it into the hot syrup until dissolved. Chill until nearly set.
- For the custard, whisk 75g of custard powder and 50g of superfine sugar into 1.2 liters of milk in a saucepan. Cook, stirring, until very thick, then cover the surface and let cool.
- Cut 1½ Madeira cakes into cubes and pile them into a large glass bowl. Spoon over the reserved fruit and juice and 4 tablespoons of sherry.
- Spread the custard thickly over the cake, pressing it against the sides of the bowl, and leave until set with a skin. Spoon the nearly set jelly over the custard and chill until set.
- Whip 300ml of heavy cream with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of icing sugar until it just holds its shape. Spread over the jelly, scatter with 2 crushed amaretti cookies, and chill.