Sounds to me like a Trifle (punchbowl cake, tipsy pudding). Sounds like your Grandmother substituted evaporated milk for the half and half as many of her contemporaries did because it was much cheaper than fresh light cream.
I made one the other day. It is basically cake (lady fingers, pound cake or sponge cake) layered with boiled custard and whipped cream. Older recipes call for the cake to be sprinkled with sherry but it is just as good without.
You need cake, cooled boiled custard and whipped cream.
Boiled Custard
1 quart half and half
1/2 cup superfine sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp REAL vanilla extract.
In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, heat the half and half until moderately hot. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until uniform in color and sugar is dissolved ( don't 'beat' them or use a blender or mixer as it will incorporate too much air).
When the half and half is hot, ladle about a cup of it into the eggs, whisking as you go to 'temper' the eggs. (This keeps them from 'scrambling' when added to the hot milk) Pour the tempered egg mixture into the top of the double boiler with the remaining half and half. Cook over the simmering water, whisking or stirring gently the whole time, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. (when you put the spoon in and take it out, you can drag your finger across the back of it and the custard will stay coating the spoon bowl and leave a clean edge where you dragged your finger).
Remove the top of the double boiler from the bottom and set aside. Mix in the vanilla. Allow to cool, whisking every once in a while. If you want to speed up cooling, you can put the double boiler top in a big bowl of ice and stir the sdges to the middle until it is cold.
Assemble the trifle by layering thinly sliced cake and custard in a pretty glass bowl. Add a layer of lightly sweetened whipped cream about midway up. continue layering and top with whipped cream.
Prepare the day before serving and refrigerate to allow the custard to soak into the cake some.
You can also make it the 'cheater's way' (LOL) with cake, thinner than normal instant vanilla pudding and Cool Whip, but in a side by side comparison, I would pick the scratchmade EVERY time. It is a little trouble to make but the results are "died and went to heaven" GOOD.
Last edited by AngelDance; 02-22-2011 at 11:34 AM.
Reason: Add a line
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