Trifle
Trifle is a traditional British dessert layered in a large glass bowl with ladyfingers soaked in orange juice, jam, fresh fruit, vanilla custard and whipped cream. Every colorful layer shows through the side of the bowl, and each spoonful is soft, cool and full of the sweet-tart flavor of berries.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rising or chilling
- 5 hr
- Total time
- 5 hr 55 min
- Method
- Chilled
Ingredients
For the vanilla custard
For the cake base
For the fruit
For the whipped cream topping
Instructions
Step 1
Whisk 110 g egg yolks with 80 g granulated sugar and 25 g cornstarch, pour in 500 g hot whole milk, then pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it bubbles gently for about a minute, then add 5 g vanilla extract. Cornstarch needs to boil long enough for the custard to set thick and not turn runny again. The custard is ready when it's as thick as yogurt and the whisk leaves clear trails.
Step 2
Pour the custard into a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto its surface and let it cool for about an hour. Wrap touching the custard stops a dry skin from forming. The custard is ready when it has cooled to room temperature and is still smooth when stirred.
Step 3
Spread 80 g fruit jam on one side of the 200 g ladyfingers, arrange them to cover the bottom of a large glass bowl, then drizzle 100 g orange juice evenly over them. The orange juice softens the ladyfingers and adds a fresh flavor without any alcohol. The base is ready when the ladyfingers are evenly moist and feel soft but not mushy when pressed lightly.
Step 4
Halve 300 g fresh strawberries, press a few halves against the side of the bowl for a pretty look, then scatter the rest of the strawberries and 150 g fresh raspberries over the ladyfingers. The strawberry halves against the glass create a striking red layer when seen from outside. The fruit layer is ready when it covers the ladyfingers and shows clearly through the side of the bowl.
Step 5
Spoon the cooled custard over the fruit and spread it evenly to the sides of the bowl with the back of a spoon. The custard must be cool so it doesn't melt the jam or crush the fruit. The custard layer is ready when it's evenly thick and covers everything, with no fruit peeking through on top.
Step 6
Whip 300 g cold whipping cream with 30 g powdered sugar for about three minutes to medium peaks, then spread it over the custard and swirl the top into gentle waves. Cream whipped just enough holds its shape while staying soft and silky to scoop. The topping is ready when it's smooth and white and the peaks of the waves stay put.
Step 7
Cover the bowl and chill for at least four hours so the layers meld. The rest lets the base soak up moisture from the fruit and cream, creating trifle's signature softness. The trifle is ready when it's evenly cold and the layers look seamless through the side of the bowl.
Step 8
Scatter 20 g toasted sliced almonds over the top just before serving, then use a large spoon to scoop straight down to the bottom so each portion gets every layer. Adding the almonds at the last minute keeps them crunchy. Each serving is just right when it has cake, fruit, custard and whipped cream.
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
- Hand mixer
- Spatula
- Sieve
- Kitchen scale
- Mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Refrigerator
Tips
- Instead of ladyfingers, you can use cubes of day-old sponge cake or pound cake.
- The grown-up version usually adds a splash of sherry or rum to the orange juice.
- Make your trifle in a clear glass bowl to show off the pretty colored layers.
Storage
Covered, trifle keeps for two days in the fridge; after that, the fruit releases juice and the base turns too soggy. This dessert shouldn't be frozen.
Common problems and how to fix them
- Lots of liquid pools at the bottom of the bowl and the base is mushy.
- The base got too much orange juice or the strawberries were cut too far ahead. Drizzle just enough orange juice to moisten the ladyfingers and cut the strawberries right before arranging them.
- The custard is too thin and runs into the fruit layer.
- The custard wasn't boiled long enough for the cornstarch to work. Cook it until it bubbles and thickens, then keep stirring for another minute.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
