British Trifle

Name: British Trifle
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: Madeira sponge cake or trifle sponges, 200g cut into cubes; Strawberry jam, 3 tablespoons; Fresh strawberries and raspberries, 300g mixed; Sherry or fruit juice, 4 tablespoons; Full fat milk, 500ml; Egg yolks, 4 large; Caster sugar, 50g; Cornflour, 2 tablespoons; Double cream, 300ml; Dark chocolate or hundreds and thousands, for decoration

About this dish

Layers of sponge cake, custard, fruit, and cream in a glass bowl.

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History & Origin

Trifle dates to 16th-century England, evolving from a simple flavored cream into today's elaborate layered dessert, traditionally served at Christmas.

Ingredients

🍰Madeira sponge cake or trifle sponges, 200g cut into cubes

🍓Strawberry jam, 3 tablespoons

🍓Fresh strawberries and raspberries, 300g mixed

🍷Sherry or fruit juice, 4 tablespoons

🥛Full fat milk, 500ml

🥚Egg yolks, 4 large

🍬Caster sugar, 50g

🌾Cornflour, 2 tablespoons

🍦Double cream, 300ml

🍫Dark chocolate or hundreds and thousands, for decoration

Method

Serves 2

Spread the sponge cubes with strawberry jam and arrange them in the bottom of a large glass trifle bowl. Pour the sherry or fruit juice evenly over the sponge and leave to soak for 5 minutes.

Scatter the fresh strawberries and raspberries over the soaked sponge layer, pressing some fruit against the glass so it looks pretty.

To make the custard, whisk the egg yolks, caster sugar, and cornflour together in a bowl. Heat the milk in a saucepan until just steaming, then slowly pour it over the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

Pour the custard mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5–8 minutes. Pour the warm custard over the fruit layer and leave to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.

Once the custard is fully set and cold, whip the double cream with a tablespoon of icing sugar until it holds soft peaks. Spoon or pipe the cream generously over the top of the trifle.

Finish with your chosen decoration — grated dark chocolate, hundreds and thousands, or a few fresh berries. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes more.

Serve straight from the bowl at the table, scooping down through all the layers so everyone gets a bit of everything.

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