According to Foodtimeline.com, "Trifle is a traditional English sweet or dessert. The essential ingredients are sponge cake soaked in sherry or white wine, rich custard, fruit or jam, and whipped cream, layered in a glass dish in that order. The cream is often decorated with, for example, slivers of almond, glace cherries, angelica".
Some variations of the English trifle are the Creole trifle and Zuppa Inglese.
The trifle can also be a versatile dessert combining different fruits according to season and taste. The sponge cake can be substituted by ladyfingers, pound cake or cookies. Instant pudding can be used instead of the home made custard. The gelatin and jam can be omitted. It can be layered in a trifle glass bowl or individual glass bowls. The layers of cake, custard and fruit can be seen through the glass trifle bowl giving the trifle a colorful and appealing presentation. Fruit, chopped nuts and crumbled cookies can be used to decorate the top of the trifle with whipped cream piped around the edge of the trifle bowl. This is a simple to make dessert with spectacular results.
Traditionally, the trifle would be served at Christmas but nowadays it is also being served at celebrations such as tea parties, birthday parties, as a dinner party dessert, or as the perfect summer dessert at a BBQ, to name a few.
In the the following recipe, sliced peaches, pineapple slices or kiwis can also be added or substituted for the berries. This trifle is truly a fresh taste of summer.
Berry Trifle
Ingredients:
- ¼ sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 beaten egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 sliced sponge cake
- 1/3 cup rum (or liquor of your choice) or fruit juice
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup currant jelly (or jelly of your choice)
- 1 cup toasted sliced almonds (optional)
Make the custard:
- In a medium saucepan combine the ¼ cup sugar and the 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Stir in the milk, egg yolks and lemon peel.
- Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and just begins to bubble, around seven to eight minutes.
- When mixture thickens, it will coat a metal spoon when dipped into the egg mixture.
- Do not boil.
- Remove from heat and add the first teaspoon of vanilla.
- Pour into a bowl and place a piece of plastic film directly onto the custard to prevent skin from forming.
- Cool custard for at least 30 minutes.
Assemble the Trifle:
- In a 1 ½ quart serving bowl arrange slices of sponge cake (cut to fit the bowl) at bottom of serving bowl.
- Sprinkle with half of the liquor or fruit juice.
- Top with 2 cups of the fresh blueberries.
- Spoon half of the custard over the blueberries.
- Arrange slices of sponge cake (as needed) atop custard.
- Sprinkle remaining liquor or fruit juice over all.
- Slice 1 cup of strawberries; spoon over ladyfingers or slices of sponge cake.
- Spoon remaining custard over.
- Whip cream with the 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining teaspoon of vanilla to soft peaks.
- Spread the cream mixture atop the sliced strawberries or if desired
- Spread half of the cream mixture atop the sliced strawberries and using a pastry tube, pipe remaining cream around edge of bowl.
- Chill for at least 4 hours.
- When ready to serve, melt jelly, dip whole strawberries in jelly and place atop trifle.
- Sprinkle with sliced toasted almonds if using.
A different version of berry trifle can be found at Easy Summer Desserts.
