Somlói Galuska (Hungarian Sponge Trifle with Chocolate Sauce)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) pan with baking paper.
2. Whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar and the vanilla for 4 minutes until pale and thick. In a clean bowl, whisk the whites with the salt, adding the remaining sugar gradually, to stiff peaks.
3. Fold the whites into the yolks in two batches, then sift in the flour and fold gently until no streaks remain.
4. Divide the batter into three portions. Leave one plain, fold the cocoa into the second and the ground walnuts into the third.
5. Bake each batter separately in the lined pan: spread it evenly and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until springy. Cool on a rack, then cut each sponge into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes.
6. Make the syrup. Simmer the sugar and water for 5 minutes, cool, and stir in the rum.
7. Make the custard. Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornstarch with 2 tbsp of the milk. Heat the rest of the milk until steaming, whisk it into the yolk mixture and return to low heat, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until thick. Stir in the vanilla and cool, with film pressed on the surface.
8. Make the chocolate sauce. Heat the 100 ml of cream until steaming, pour it over the chopped chocolate, wait 1 minute and stir until smooth.
9. Layer the three sponges in a large glass bowl or 8 glasses, drizzling each layer with syrup and adding raisins and spoonfuls of custard between them.
10. Pour the warm chocolate sauce over the top, finish with whipped cream and serve within an hour.

Tips

• Bake the sponge a day ahead. Slightly dry sponge absorbs the syrup without turning mushy. For a child-friendly version, use orange juice instead of rum.
• Serve in a glass bowl so the layers show. The traditional presentation is a casual mound rather than neat layers.