Easy trifle advice please

[Trifletrifle]

I’ve decided to make a simple trifle as one of the desserts for Christmas Day. However, I practiced today and it wasn’t good!

I made the lady finger sponges (it needs to be gluten free). I thought this came out ok., then added summer forest fruits (from the freezer), would tinned / fresh fruit be better?

made up some Hartley strawberry jelly added it to my bowl and put in the fridge to set.

I made the custard from birds custard powder - it was very lumpy despite constant stirring and correctly measuring. I sieved it, cooled and added to the bowl after several hours in the fridge.

I then whisked some double cream, but it didn’t thicken so ended up using ‘Birds dream topping’ instead.

kept bowl in the fridge until this evening but it was a watery mess 😳

my lady fingers had completely disintegrated, the jelly didn’t seem set and the custard wasn’t great.

Can you share some tips please? I’d like to keep it as simple as possible as I’m making several other desserts for Christmas Day.

My aunt used to make an amazing Black Forest trifle.
As far as I can remember it was chocolate Swiss roll soaked in kirsch, then tinned cherry pie filling, chocolate custard and whipped cream.

Sounds bad from beginning to end OP. I make the old 70’s trifle. I’ve tried to change it up over the years, go modern, Nigella style, and have faced riots so am stuck with the 70’s style forever now😁.

i get a jam roly poly, cut and line trifle bowl with it. Soak copiously with sherry. Meanwhile make red and green jelly, leave to set overnight. Next day, soak sponge even more🤣, cut jelly into cubes, put jelly and well drained large tin of two fruits into bowl. Pour over vanilla custard from a carton. Top that with fresh whipped cream and put cut strawberries and blueberries on top of the cream. Refrigerate for a few hours and then tuck in.