Preparation

• Bake the sponge (or skip this with store-bought): Preheat the oven to 180°C/ Gas Mark 6. Line a 23cm square tin. In a large bowl, whisk in the flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt. In another bowl, mix the milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, pour into the tin, then bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool, then cut into 3cm cubes.
• Drain the cherries, reserving 200ml syrup. Heat the syrup, sugar and kirsch in a pan for 5 minutes. Mix the cornflour with 1 tablespoon water, whisk into the pan and simmer until slightly thickened. Stir in the cherries, then cool.
• Make the custard: Whisk the milk, sugar, cocoa and cornflour in a saucepan over a medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the chocolate until melted and smooth. Place baking paper on the surface to prevent a skin forming.
• Whip the cream: Beat the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Chill until ready.
• Assemble the trifle: In a large glass trifle dish, layer up the chocolate sponge cubes, cherries with syrup, chocolate custard and whipped cream.
• Repeat until the dish is full, finishing with cream on top.
• Pipe or swirl extra cream on top, then pile cherries in the centre and scatter over chocolate shavings, almonds and white chocolate curls, if using. Chill the trifle for at least 1 hour before serving.