I started with half a dozen slightly overcooked rock cakes - they're not burnt to cinders, but are certainly a bit too dry and toasty to eat on their own.

To make this dish without going to the trouble of burning your own cakes, just substitute chocolate chip cookies.

Optionally, for greater authenticity, you can toast them a little under the grill or on a tray in the oven.

Whisk about 300ml of whipping cream until just stiff enough to stay in the bowl when tipped.

Cut the cakes into pieces about 1cm thick.

If you use cookies instead, this won't be necessary.

Pour about half a glass of port, sherry or your favourite liqueur or spirit into a small bowl.

The cake/biscuit pieces will be dipped into this as the dish is assembled.

Spread a thin layer of cream on the bottom of a trifle dish.

Add a layer of cake pieces - dipping each one briefly in the liquor as you go.

Use some smaller pieces to fill in the gaps and create as full a layer as possible.

Add a layer of fruit - I made this dish in the middle of winter, so I used a good blackcurrant preserve with a high proportion of fruit.

In the summer, fresh raspberries or strawberries would work well in here, or blackberries in the autumn.

Add another layer of cream, then more pieces of liquor-soaked cake, then more fruit and finally more cream.

It helps to add the cream in small spoonfuls all over, then smooth them out to make an even layer - adding it all in one big blob will tend to mix up the layers when you try to spread it.