How do you make a trifle?

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

I have unexpectedly become the proud owner of a rather large trifle bowl.

I have never made a trifle! How do you do it?

My FIL always has trifle for pudding if it’s on the menu. These days they tend to be non traditional flavours but he prefers a traditional trifle. It’s his birthday in a couple of weeks so I’d like to make one for his birthday lunch (which we’re hosting). Any top tips to make it a success?

[Sarahlou63]

You put sponge fingers in the base then liberally soak with sherry.

The next layer is cooled custard. Allow to set then add a layer of whipped cream. Top with sprinkles of your choice.

Then tip the whole disgusting mess into the bin and buy a chocolate tort.

HTH.

[LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow]

cake, soaked in something boozy to your taste...I like sherry or amaretto

then I fill any gaps with crushed amaretti biscuits

fruit....depending how sweet you like it then jam, my choice would be a bag of frozen rasps or cherries, very easy. And if you do want to sweeten them then heat them through with a little sugar.

more crushed amaretti or savoiiardi biscuits, more booze.

custard

NO JELLY EVER

then I put it in the fridge, it really wants to overnight in there to get a bit squelchy and juicy, I serve with double cream poured over, I think it's very easy for whipped cream on the top of a trifle to pick up that fridgey taint, so that's why I do not put the cream on before serving.

A blackforest type theme is amazing with kirsch and chocolate custard

More traditional would be rasps, and an almondy type custard.

But pick a theme and go with it, I always mean to do the Nigella Lemon Curd one, or there's a festive gingerbread one I saw somewhere but honestly I tend to stick with raspberries or cherries.

[PumpkinSpiceGirl]

@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow perfect trifle suggestions 😊

[takingmytimeonmyride]

Don't forget the beef, sautéed with peas and onion.

[foxgoosefinch]

I love a trifle! But I am déclassé and like jelly in it too

And silver balls on top. ALWAYS silver balls on top!

[CraftyGin]

@Muchtoomuchtodo

I have unexpectedly become the proud owner of a rather large trifle bowl.

I have never made a trifle! How do you do it?

My FIL always has trifle for pudding if it’s on the menu. These days they tend to be non traditional flavours but he prefers a traditional trifle. It’s his birthday in a couple of weeks so I’d like to make one for his birthday lunch (which we’re hosting). Any top tips to make it a success?

Sliced Swiss Roll (vanilla/rasperry)

Drained tinned fruit (pear/peach)

Jelly

Custard

Cream

Sprinkles

[user6869848649]

Swiss roll (the type with only jam not cream as well) cut into slices and a single layer in the bottom of the bowl. Drain a tin of strawberries and add them over the top. Cover with jelly. Once that’s set, add custard. Just before serving, whip some cream and add to the top and grate some chocolate over. Lovely!

[CraftyGin]

Scottish trifle uses jelly - my home ec teacher told me so.

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

I’m really feeling the love for some of these!

The bowl is huge - about 20 cms deep and slightly bigger diameter at the top.

Do I just do thick layers of everything or add more layers of the same?

[lazylinguist]

I have never made a trifle! How do you do it?

Find a recipe you like the sound of and follow it?

[CraftyGin]

Just one layer of each. It's not a lasagne.

[HyggeTygge1]

a layer of ladyfingers, a layer of jam, custard (made from scratch), raspberries, more ladyfingers, beef sautéed with peas and onions, a little more custard, sliced banana and whipped cream 😉

[MeridasMum]

I love Mary Berry's trifle recipe (with no jelly!!)

[FlowerArranger]

You Google Delia trifle....... sorted.

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

Lol! I know I could just look for a recipe but there’s usually some much better suggestions from MN members.

Take the legendary flapjack recipe for example.

I think I may have to use a much smaller bowl so that I can just do one layer of everything and avoid getting it confused with a lasagne 🤣

[fizznchips]

@takingmytimeonmyride

Don't forget the beef, sautéed with peas and onion.

I came on here to say the same thing!

[RoseMartha]

My mum used to make it
As follows

Jam Swiss roll soaked in sherry
Tin of fruit salad
Then add strawberry jelly
When set add custard and chocolate sprinkles
Serve with cream

[vdbfamily]

My mum makes a famous trifle that everyone loves and adults get to make for parties etc.
She slices up Swiss roll for the bottom layer and each slice is soaked in sherry before found in the bowl. ( saucer of sherry and slice put in, then turned over so both sides absorb.
She then does a layer of custard which is made with half milk and half evaporated milk which makes it very rich. Then just whipped cream on top. Absolutely delicious.

[Frenchpoodle]

@CraftyGin is almost nearly perfect, but it’s a crumbled up flake and glacé cherries on the top, not sprinkles

[HeadNorth]

@CraftyGin

Scottish trifle uses jelly - my home ec teacher told me so.

How dare you! As a Scot I am offended and wounded. Yes to Swiss roll, booze, jam, fruit, cream. But jelly? Get out of here!

[CraftyGin]

[quote Frenchpoodle]@CraftyGin is almost nearly perfect, but it’s a crumbled up flake and glacé cherries on the top, not sprinkles [/quote]
Sprinkles of chocolate?

[CraftyGin]

How dare you! As a Scot I am offended and wounded. Yes to Swiss roll, booze, jam, fruit, cream. But jelly? Get out of here!

Are you west coast?

[CraftyGin]

Trifle is a naff dish. You don't make the custard from scratch. Not even powdered custard. Just use a tin or carton.

And the cream should really be Dream Topping.

[ItsDinah]

Madeira cake for base. Douse with fino ( dry sherry). Warm some good raspberry or strawberry conserve ( e.g Bonne Maman) and spread this over the cake. Make a fruit jelly with fruit juice not water. Orange jelly is nice. Use about third more liquid than normal for a jelly,so it is not solid but fairly runny when it sets. Once it starts to set, spread a thin layer on top of the conserve. Next,add a layer of custard. Make the custard thick and make sure it is cool before adding. Next, add a layer of fruit piece -e.g. mandarin segments or pieces of peach. . Next, add a good layer of very stiffly whipped cream. Decorate to taste. I use more pieces of fruit especially grapes. Sherry doesn't keep long so you need to use the rest of the bottle quickly. You need the jelly and conserve in my opinion to stop the thing disintegrating into a sludgy mess.

[Frenchpoodle]

@CraftyGin sprinkles of chocolate, yes - but not the hundreds of thousands multi coloured yuckness!