1. For the custard, add the milk and cream to a nonstick saucepan. Scrape in the vanilla pod seeds then add the pod. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Whisk the sugar, egg yolks and custard powder in a bowl until creamy. Slowly whisk the milk mixture into the egg mix then pour back into the pan over a low-medium heat, making sure the mixture doesn?t boil. Stir constantly until thickened and smooth. Leave to cool in a bowl covered with clingfilm and chill in the fridge.
2. For the cake, heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and butter and line the base of a 20cm sandwich cake tin with greaseproof paper. Add butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and eggs to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for a minute. Spoon into the tin, level the surface and bake for 20 minutes. Cool on a rack.
3. Cook 175g of raspberries with 25g sugar in a pan over a high heat until the sugar dissolves. Shake the pan to combine. Remove from the heat, roughly crush the fruit and leave to cool. Dissolve 1 tbsp sugar in 1 tbsp boiling water and add the sherry.
4. Cut the cake in half and pour the sherry syrup over each half, saving 2 tbsp. Let it soak in, then spread one cake half with conserve and sandwich both together. Trim the cake to make a square and cut into small squares. Arrange the cake in a glass bowl, layering with the puree and some fresh raspberries. Tuck amaretti into gaps and drizzle the remaining sherry syrup over the biscuits. Remove the vanilla pod from the custard and spoon the custard over the sponge. Chill for several hours.
5. Softly whip both creams and spoon over the custard. Chill until needed. Decorate with crystallised rose petals, pistachios and the rest of the raspberries before serving.
For the custard layer
Quick & Easy: 30 minutes or less
Healthy Recipe: low fat and/or calories
Kid-Friendly: extra nutrition and/or fun!
Low-Carb: low carbohydrates
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