Tell me about your favourite trifle

[Thecrackineverything]

I am making one for Christmas dinner, but the question is...which?

No jelly, no fruit.
my mum’s trifle was jam Swiss roll, with lots of Harvey’s Bristol Cream poured on it; then Bird’s custard powder made into a very thick custard; topped with whipped cream and almond flakes. Best trifle in the world.

If you are going to use jelly try making it with creme de cassis and raspberry jelly - it’s lovely. And for the cream layer on top I do a syllabub - it’s made with brandy Sherry and lemon zest.

As long as its got runny custard on top, what's underneath matters not.

@Dilbertian Drink the rest of the glass.

You know how to live! 😁

Some lovely ideas here - thanks all. I am interested in the jelly/no jelly tribes.

I think I have always assumed there would be jelly in a trifle, myself.

Avaunt!

Nigella's Anglo Italian trifle is utterly gorgeous with limoncello and amaretti. Completely fabulous.

Mmm yes, creme de cassis in jelly is definitely allowed.

@Thecrackineverything 🤣🤣

OP save yourself the faff and buy the M&S Best ever one. It’s incredible.

Gosh. That's a thought.

Though, I have to admit I enjoy the making. Especially if I follow @Dilbertian's method!

We have a Bird's every Christmas. DC started helping to make it aged 5. 7 years later, DC now in charge annually of trifle making :-)

Dark ginger cake, sour cherries soaked in rum or tinned pears soaked in whisky, maple syrup mousse, whipped cream, dark chocolate curls
Not traditional at all but a wonderful experience!

NO JELLY

Black forest trifle. Chocolate sponge, kirsch, tin of black cherries, chocolate custard then whipped cream, cherries and grated chocolate to decorate.

I was never a massive fan until I tried some that was made from scratch and now do that every year. It's so much nicer than shop kits.
This year the home made jelly will be raspberry & rosewater with vanilla bean set custard as usual and the topping will be mascarpone & cream with honeycomb crunch sprinkled because the toasted almond flakes of Christmas 2021 were voted out by the family.
I usually make enough that we have trifle for breakfast on boxing day.

Sponge fingers and amaretti biscuits soaked with orange and mango juice. No sherry, because I don't like it. Definitely no jelly.

Mango on top, with whatever other fruit I fancy (blueberries, passion fruit and sometimes banana).

Then custard whizzed up with stewed apricots, and top with whipped cream.

Decorate with blueberries and slivers of roasted almonds.

Delicious!

I'm old school, team jelly. Sponge cake, strawberry jelly with tinned strawberries, then strawberry blancmange for a nice firm set, mountains of sweetened whipped cream, hundreds and thousands. It must go schlurp as you spoon it out.
It's not that I am adverse to making modern/ nice trifles- I did the jubilee one- but my mums trifle is Christmas for me

Definitely jelly, and Luxardo Maraschino cherries dotted about between sponge and jelly. Syrup from the jar to soak into sponge. Jelly. Not too much custard. Fuckton of whipped cream.

Sponge fingers soaked in sweet sherry
Raspberries set in a small quantity of raspberry jelly
Custard
Whipped double cream
Lightly toasted almonds.

Cut glass or crystal bowl.

A large spoon

Drooling! I have Chambord, that would work wouldn't it?

Syllabub sounds like a fine addition.

Delia’s. Proper egg and cream custard and cake made from scratch (I make a simple gluten free sponge- would probably use bought cake if it didn’t have to be gf). Absolutely no jelly. Hot custard poured straight over the frozen raspberries so they all end up the right temperature. Piles of whipped cream. Flaked almonds if I remember.
I love both Birds custard and jelly but not in my Christmas trifle!

There are loads of variations I would like to try - particularly some of Nigella’s recipes, but as I only make trifle once a year for the same people I don’t think deviations would be tolerated!

www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/meringue-madeleine-and-winter-berry-trifle

Waitrose Winter berry trifle, I've made this one for the past 3 years and I love it!

@Claudia84 spot on, Delia all the way