trifle custard

[cucumberpeach]

How do you make custard that is firm/set enough for a trifle? I know it's easier to use shop bought but I much prefer the taste of homemade custard. I always use Delia's custard recipe with double cream but it always feels too runny for a trifle even after leaving it in the fridge.

Ive gone back to the custard my mother made using birds custard powder! However ive seen some trifle recipes where you add some cornflour to the custard which will make it set more.

@bilbodog Thank you. Delia's does contain some cornflour but maybe I could add a tiny bit more - it's a fine line though as it can go grainy quickly with too much.

I use custard powder now for trifle, make it with half milk, half cream. Can be as thick or thin as you like, and allows me to vary the sweetness too ( prefer it less sweet in trifle ). I might add a tiny dash of vanilla extract to milk, or steep a pod in it beforehand.

I used to always make it fresh but I found it didn’t keep that long, especially if fridge is Xmas full! Am sure Nigel has suggested this too if in a hurry.

@MsPavlichenko Thank you, it seems custard powder may be the way to go. I just find it hard to go back now that I've tasted homemade 😋

Nigella has a custard recipe for trifle https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/nigella-lawsons-rhubarb-and-custard-trifle/

I've never found my custard too runny. I used Delia's recipe too. Maybe cut down a little on the cream? I never used milk, only cream

Custard powder is basically cornflour, so just use a bit more powder or a bit less milk to make it thicker.

I use the niceish but shop bought custard - eg the luxury ambrosia carton one. The fresh fridge ones are nicer but runnier. The carton ones are still nicer tasting than the custard powder in my opinion, way easier, and pretty thick. I tried warming one up to try to “reduce”‘it one year, but it was a very stupid idea, I don’t think custard “reduces” 🤣 - it just went a bit lumpy where it had developed a skin as it cooled. Though if you heat it a bit, pour it in, then let it develop a skin, that might help with layering? I find the trick is having the cream as soft as the custard, so it doesn’t sink down. Fill the cream from the edge of the bowl so it’s got the edges to stick to, then fill into the centre.

Thank you, I might try this one!

Thanks everyone for the tips

I make practically everything from scratch but for custard I absolutely love Birds custard powder, not the cartons, must be the powder and if you follow the directions on the tin 35g to one pint of milk it is perfect consistency for trifle, don't follow their tablespoon measurements they are wrong!

I'm having trouble getting past my custard snobbery so will try Nigella's first I think. Perhaps I'll also get a silk gown so I can lick the spoon suggestively in the middle of the night 😅

You are right, homemade custard is far better, I just add some more cornflour and it is lovely and thick.

If you really want to do the homemade variety then extra cornflour is the key to it being thicker.

Posting here as a warning for next year, that Bird's Instant Custard Powder is NOT the same as Bird's Original Custard Powder and will NOT work in a trifle.... no matter how long you heat and stir and heat and wait for it to thicken

Or an extra whole egg, beaten in to the mixture and carefully heated 'until it coats the back of the spoon' should thicken it some more. It will also continue to thicken as it cools.
(eg if you ever make an oven baked crême caramel, four medium eggs to a pint of full cream milk will set it.)

Never even heard of that stuff, have the tin of original stuff, does that come in sachets or something?

I bought a packet of 3 Birds sachets in Sainsbury's assuming they were exactly the same as normal custard powder but in more convenient packaging! I was wrong! I'll get the tub next year.

The sachet instructions say you just add boiling water - it has milk powder in. But having never made instant custard before I didn't think anything of it... like how you can make instant hot chocolate with milk or water.

Birds custard powder every time. Far superior to fancy 'vanilla' custards that you see everywhere, cant stand it. Birds every time.

Many years ago my DM didn’t have enough cream and milk for trifle custard so, desperate, substituted evaporated milk. Our family trifle was born. It adds a real unique flavour and despite my DM dying 30yrs ago her “special trifle” lives on.
This year I had to modify it. I like to use Madeira cake but could only get cherry Madeira so rather than adding sherry to the jelly, I added amoretto. It was delicious, and I made a second one for new year.