to think that putting jelly in trifle is a very common thing to do?

[DameHermione]

Trifle,when made properly does not have jelly.

Cake, some sort of juice, whether sherry or juice or liqure, fruit, custard and cream.

No jelly.

It is such a disappointment to dig in and discover a layer of insipid eobbliness.

AIBU to suggest real trifle has no jelly and to add it smacks of the lower classes?

oh I still agree that jelly is common, but really Dame H...baileys and muffins very very non u. I am shaking my head.

sherry and amarettis are the only permitted variations.

I am very tolerant of flake on the top though, or flaked almonds or dodgy angelica and cherry flowers.

Marcella Hazan has a recipe for Zuppa Inglese which Italians think is an English trifle. It has no jelly but consists of a layer of sliced madeira cake soaked - and I mean SOAKED in alcohol including rum and cherry brandy, then layers of home-made plain and chocolate custard, more soaked cake, whipped cream and flaked almonds. Light? You could point brickwork with it. I think it was the blessed Jane Grigson who said a trifle should reflect the name an airy whim-wham of a confection. Her recipe is vair nice indeed and is without jelly. But there is also a place for the jelly version it soaks into the cake layer and sets it most agreeably.

Jelly is not an essential ingredient but I prefer it WITH, ideally.

No 1 fruit option is raspberries. No fruit cocktail with diced pear, apple, banana etc and no sherry neither.

Then custard and cream & flaked almonds and grated chocolate on top. Glacé cherries optional. Absolutely no angelica!

You make truffle with muffins, Baileys and bought chocolate custard? And you think jelly in trifle is for the masses and lower classes?

Although it pains me to judge a JC nn.

You blew it with the baileys and muffins DameH. Way more "common" than jelly.

DD (5) made trifle with jelly and birds custard today and she was very very pleased with it and didn't notice me sneaking in the frambroise at all

I used to make my PFB individual trifles, layering up the common way in teeny weeny tommee tippee lidded pots.

I loooove a black forest trifle - choc swiss roll, tinned black cherries in gloop, kirsh or cherry brandy if you have it, a purply jelly - blackcurrant or cherry, custard - normal or chocolate - with a bit of Flake flaked on top.

Just to verify: your cook does make proper custard, I take it? Eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla and nothing else? Because this thread has references to Bird's custard [sic] which worried me.

Hilarious!

OP derides use of jelly in trifle.

OP goes on to describe how she makes the most common sounding trifle known to human kind.

Dont' know that I ever had trifle without jelly. Never make it myself, but my MIL makes lovely trifle (with jelly), which I look forward to when visiting.

Each to their own. OP, you are a food nazi.

Had the weirdest conversation re trifle which I think may clarify the situation.

My Mum's favourite pudding is trifle.

After a particularly gruesome medical procedure ( bone marrow) I had promised my mum a trifle to cheer her up.

The rather posh doctor performing the procedure asked what my Mum was doing afterwards and she mentioned the promised trifle to which the Dr stared and asked what a trifle was.

I creased up thinking she was having a joke and a rather odd one at that but she just looked confused.

I then explained the whole trifle thing whilst thinking how can you not know...I mean staple of birthday parties etc...still thinking it was some front she was keeping up.

She wasn't. Awkward.

Maybe trifle is only known by the lower orders as it were.

Imagine a life without the joy of trifle. Tsk.

I make my trifle with jelly and a layer of strawberry angel delight, common as muck me

I cannot believe i admitted to my muffin and baileys concoction. I am ashamed of myself and can only blame the large amount of red wine i had consumed.

I stand by mt original statement though. Jelly in trifle is common.

According to the Oleo cookery book, 1937, it does indeed have jelly.

Someone tried to say you don't put milk in first!

YANBU

It is very common

As in commonplace

Happens a lot

Not unusual

I love trifle with or without jelly. As long as everyone who's easing it says it's trifle, it's trifle. I love my mil's trifle with its tinned raspberries, birds custard and jelly round her table with laughter, warmth and love more than my parents culinarily perfect version with stilted formality.

Eating

working class trifles do not have jelly in them!

Oh and no alcohol in my favourite trifles-although I make no judgment on those who like it!

this thread remind me of the custard shortage in whitstable

Just checked and Mrs Beeton and Constance Spry are in agreement that there is no jelly.

I still like jelly and birds' custard, as well as no jelly and egg custard - they are different things, granted, but both good.

I am working class, and I put jelly in my trifle

I think the middle classes should have their trifles confiscated for over thinking the joy out of it AGAIN!

Common, but DELICIOUS. I am no trifle snob. Give me trifle with cream, sherry, sponge and fruit, or my nan's trifle with custard, whipped cream and jelly and I am HAPPY. Extra bonus points if my nan puts fruit in the jelly or chocolate buttons on top. No-one makes trifle like my nan.

Love the jelly - hate the lady fingers or any sponge as it goes soggy!