Classic Trifle With Berries or Citrus

Bird's Vanilla Custard -- a great start if you're not feeling like doing the custard from scratch. Also -- the other school of thought is that a berry flavored jello -- (in the UK, aka, jelly) is typically poured over the soaked cake. There are as many recipes for trifle as there are for pound cake... and...

I have been making trifle for years. I make angel food cake with the egg whites; it isn't as sweet as ladyfingers. Then I use the egg yolks for the custard, which is plain vanilla with lots of flavour. I have begun to use a mixture of St Germain liqueur and lemon juice (with a little sugar) for the imbibing syrup. It is still boozy but lighter and fruitier. I reserve the right to go back to Harvey's Bristol Cream, but trifle is a dessert that you can personalize in many, many ways. Enjoy!

I macerate mixed berries with Grand Mariner. Instead of custard, I fold a jar of lemon curd into whipped cream. I use store-bought angel food cake. Must sit overnight in fridge- the cream gets thicker. Very easy and good.

Trifle seems to improve with an overnight in the fridge. That gives the fruit, custard and sherry a chance to marry. I always use pound cake with homemade raspberry jam, soaked with Harvey’s Bristol Cream, and a generous custard layer. Freshly whipped lightly sweetened cream finish the production. I dare not go for dinner on Christmas without a trifle in hand. Don’t skimp on the sherry.

Nooo, not jelly. Nothing worse than tinned fruit and jelly trifle - cheap and horrid, made in post war UK when food was still hard to get. Likewise powdered custard. Supermarket vanilla custard from a chilled cabinet is quite acceptable and a lot less trouble, but has to be from the luxury range. Shop bought madeira slab is also fine - it's only there to soak up the booze. A trifle should be a moist, summer berry filled, creamy, indulgent, alcoholic grown up treat, not a rubbery abomination.

I make trifle every year. My Irish grandmother made the most amazing trifle, and I try to follow her recipe, which called for a wicked amount of sweet sherry. A quarter cup? I laugh! For a large trifle, she'd pour in at least a cup. And after a day, the leftovers would be mixed together for a bright purple, berry-infused mass of deliciousness.

The pound cake from Costco works as a good base, extra cakes freeze well too. Whatever fresh berries look good will work, always brush the pound cake with sherry. Instant pudding with some added flavorings if fine. Be creative and be prepared to serve a crowd.

After 50 years of making trifle every Christmas I find cut up grapes (sweet ones so taste them before you buy) or tinned pineapple from one in juice (fresh pineapple is often too tart) do well as the fruit. Custard powder (Birds or other makes) can be used to make a foolproof and decent custard but one made with egg yolks is better but often hard to make firm enough. I mix orange juice with Sherry for soaking the sponge layer if children might be eating it.

Made this for Christmas Eve using pound cake, cara cara oranges and raspberries. I used cardamom to flavor the custard, orange juice for the “liquor.” My only real change to the recipe was to use homemade lemon curd in place of jam on the cake. This was superb and everyone loved it. I was worried about proportions but they were just right. The custard is divine but very rich so the amount was good. We will definitely make again though maybe with vanilla for the custard.

I just spread jam over the entire bottom of the glass instead of buttering each lady finger individually. Saves a little time.

Pastry cream can and should be brought to a sputtering boil - I never understand recipes that say not to do this. The sugar and corn starch will protect the eggs from curdling while allowing the corn starch to gelatinize, and the amylase in the yolks needs a full boil to deactivate otherwise it will get runny as it sets.

I would love to read a review of this recipe if anyone has made this recipe.