A traditional English trifle all children in the UK grow up eating on high days and holidays.
This trifle was delicious and a big hit with everyone! I have tried trifle with instant pudding this beats it hands down. A note of caution: As a reviewer noted below custart recipe does NOT cover it at all. Be prepared to double or possibly even triple the custard portion of the recipe. It is worth it though. I used ladyfingers which were wonderful. I used strawberry jam and cut up fresh strawberries and bananas and layered it in the trifle. Delicious!
Read MoreLow rating but my fault - custard was way too runny Once I figure it out I'll rerate.
Read MoreThis trifle was delicious and a big hit with everyone! I have tried trifle with instant pudding this beats it hands down. A note of caution: As a reviewer noted below custart recipe does NOT cover it at all. Be prepared to double or possibly even triple the custard portion of the recipe. It is worth it though. I used ladyfingers which were wonderful. I used strawberry jam and cut up fresh strawberries and bananas and layered it in the trifle. Delicious!
This was so easy! I wanted to fill my trifle bowl to the top, so I used 2 frozen 1 lb. Sara Lee pound cakes. I spread some of the cubes with raspberry curd and some with good raspberry jam. This added some really cool color contrast. I also made more whipped cream (with a little rum and vanilla) and extra custard (added vanilla there too). My guests adored it as did I!!
when i was a lil girl my dad used to make a trifle on highdays :) and this is what it should taste like its great,thanks dear polly
i whipped this trifle together for a luncheon with a friend, and we couldn't get enough. Am making it tonight for the family as I didn't have any leftover yesterday!!!!!!!!!!! Was the best best best I ever had, so easy, and once you make it with "custard" as opposed to instant pudding, you'll be a convert!!!!!!1
Great recipe! This was my first time making trifle. It is a bit time consuming and recipe needs to be doubled to feed a family. Added vanilla to the custard and to the whipped cream as well. Turned out great and everyone loved it.
This is real trifle - instant pudding is a big NO NO when it comes to making English trifle. Thanks. I had lost my good custard recipe and I think this one will replace it. Not for those on a diet!!!!!
All I can say is WOW. This was my first time making Trifle and this was delish. I did make some changes due to the size of dish I was trying to fill. I used twice as many raspberries and doubled the recipe for the custard. I used this extra to make the trifle with three layers instead of just one.
We made this to take to a personal wine tasting, and the wine we were tasting was Riesling. As you probably know, many Rieslings are very sweet - and this was the perfect complement. The sweetness comes from the cake and fruit, and the cream just emphasizes the fruit flavor. Great recipe!!!!!!!!
OMG!!!!!!!!I DID IT!!!!!!!!! I made this for the FIRST TIME last night and TOOK it to CHURCH TODAY for our homecoming luncheon. It looked sooo... pretty and I PRAYED that it tasted as good as it looked!! Well, You know that GOD has ANSWERED your PRAYERS when the PREACHER takes the time out to pat you on the back and say "YOUR DESSERT WAS DELICIOUS!!!" The only tweaks that I made was... DEFINITELY DOUBLE the CUSTARD and WHIPPING CREAM. While cooking on MED-LO I added 2 TBLSP of cornstarch mixed with a little milk to help thicken the custard. I also added 4 TBLSP of sugar to the custard mixture and Whipped Cream. The custard was kind of bland so I added 2 tsp. of vanilla to the custard mixture and whip cream, but it was still missing something so I added 1 tsp of CHAMPAGNE EXTRACT from concentrate and that changed the flavor and made all the difference. So, if you can't find the champagne extract experiment with the flavor of your choice to wake it up a little bit. I used FRESH FRUIT and CRUSHED HEATH TOFFEE CANDY instead of almonds for the garnish. I WILL DEFINITELY MAKE THIS AGAIN!!!!!!!
Very, very tasty!
My family members almost inhaled this. They loved it! I made it for this Christmas 2006. As always, I rarely follow a recipe completely. I substituted the vanilla pudding with a Jello Cheesecake mix (omit the graham cracker crust) and along with the raspberries I also added 2 bananas (1 per layer). For the festive occasion, I also added marshino cherries and sprinkled health bits in between the cherries all on the top.
Don't forget to add the sherry or brandy over the sponge - otherwise its not a real English Trifle. With the sherry its worth 5 stars - without the sherry 4 stars or less!!
My first time making trifle, and it was such a success, got rave reviews!!! my brother-in-law almost ate the whole thing, lol. I wanted a thicker custard, so i stirred a tablespoon of cornstarch into a little bit of milk, and added this to the egg mixture. I also had to double the recipe for the custard. I used fresh bananas, strawberry jam (couldn't find raspberry jam) and layered it in the trifle. Awesome!!! Thank you! thank you! thank you!
My mom, who is English, has a recipe for Trifle that included a box custard. When I went to the grocery store and could no longer find the box custard I looked here for a good custard recipe. Let me tell you, the custard in this recipe is the best. My only complaint is that it didn't make enough! My mom agreed I could have easily doubled the amount of custard and it would have been that much better. Thanks for the recipe. I will stop looking for the box custard and will continue to make my own using this recipe!
Loved by all! Too add more berry flavor, I heated some frozen berries in sugar, stirring constantly until it had a runny, liquid texture then added jam to the mix. Bought it off the heat and allowed it to cool before adding a shot of blackberry nip and dunking the sponge squares until they were half-coated. Really added to the texture of the trifle, and gave it a larger depth of flavor. Yum!
Yummy! I was having trouble brushing on the preserves, as the cubes kept crumbling. It was easier for me to layer the cubes in the dish, and then spread the preserves on top. Served it today to friends and got rave reviews!
This is a delicious trifle. However, you need to triple the custard portion and double the whipped cream. I also doubled the raspberries. There is def. not enough custard or cream to cover the cake.
Low rating but my fault - custard was way too runny Once I figure it out I'll rerate.
The GREATEST dessert ever!!! I'm so thankful, so so so impressed! Even my husband who is not a big fan of dessert, had 2 helpings!! (after a big dinner of pot roast and other stuff) This is my 1st ever English Trifle and it turned out perfect! I used strawberry jam instead, added strawberries, blueberries, kiwi fruits and peaches! The colors were beautiful :) Full of sunshine! The home made custard was impressive! Will never buy the custard mix from shops again. I too doubled the portion for custard. It was barely enough. Everything was great! Except i didn't have a trifle bowl which was a waste, couldn't see the color contrast. I'll always use this recipe for English Trifle. It's the best! The most important thing is, this pleases my picky eater husband ;) Thanks so much!
I made this for the first time for Easter and it was a HUGE hit! I took some other reviewers' advice and added vanilla to the custard, and vanilla & sugar to the whipping cream. I'm not sure if I cooked the custard long enough, since it was a bit runny (will add a little cornstarch w/ milk next time). I put sliced strawberries in one layer, and bananas & kiwis in the next layer. Even though it was a little "soupy", it still tasted DELICIOUS and everybody loved it!
I did have a few issues. First of all, the custard was too thin as written; if you can whisk in a tablespoon or two of cornstarch, I'm sure that would help it thicken. I had to chill the custard for HOURS before it was even near thick enough to layer on. When I poured it on, it drizzled all the way to the bottom and covered up all the pretty layers I'd made. *insert boo boo lip here* but I did garnish it with a few leftover fresh raspberries and some chopped up Skor chocolate bars, delicious. My husband and most dinner guests loved it! May make again, but need to tweak that custard. Daughter suggested homemade PUDDING instead of custard; will search out some recipes. Thanks!!
Always a hit, especially at holiday time. You can change the fruit to what you like but bananas, strawberries and raspberries are always a good bet. Being British, I miss the desserts so much here in the USA. You don't have to have sherry in the bottom but it's best!
I make this every year for Christmas and now I'm starting to get requests for it beyond the holiday season. Simple, easy to make, and moist and delicious. It always goes quickly!
This recipe is nice. I grew up with one very similar and continue to make it today. Instead of using cake and spreading jam on it, just buy raspberry rolls and slice them and line the bottom and sides of the bowl, this looks really pretty. I use Birds Custard, making it according to the directions for the dessert custard (which is thicker. A nice variation to this, is to sprinkle the raspberry rolls with Peach Schnaaps and use peaches sliced along with the raspberries for the fruit.
I used an angelfood cake and strawberry jam.... with strawberries and blueberries. I also doubled the custard and added some sugar (3 T) and vanilla to my whipped cream. It turned out quite well... and was even better the second day!
Great recipe which went down a treat. A variation to the recipe I did was to use ready made custard, drizzled sherry over sponge cake and used strawberrries and raspberries. Really quick and Easy.
Test made this today served in goblets and making it in a trifle container tomorrow. Turned out very very good. Some tips - for a trifle container you definitely need to double or triple the custard recipe. Add 1 Tablespoon cornstarch mixed with a little milk to custard mixture to thicken. Add a teaspoon of vanilla too. I bought 2 1-lb Sara Lee frozen pounds cakes which I think would be tastier than angle food cake. I also added 1/4 cup of sugar to the whipped cream. Homemade custard is the way to go - wow!
Yummy Yummy! We all loved it! I doubled the cream, cake and whipped cream, per others suggestions and layered it twice. I used frozen raspberries, since out of season, and it was great. Loved the homemade custard!
This is so good! The homemade custard is so much better than instant pudding. I used in season berries and this can definitely be delicious with any combo you want. I made it for my work and I everyone wanted the recipe and for me to make it again right away!
Sensational! I substituted blackberries for the raspberries and used blackberry jam.
Excellent! I made this for a party and served it individual dishes. I also put a little bit of orange liquor. It was a huge hit.
Excellent flavor. Like others suggested... a) I doubled the custard recipe, b) added vanilla to the custard and the whipped cream. c) used Sara Lee frozen pound cake d) made it in layers: Layer 1: pound cake spread with seedless raspberry jam, then sprinkled with frozen raspberries and sherry, then spread with half the custard. Layer 2: Repeat layer 1. Then spread with whipped cream and toasted slivered almonds. My only difficulty was that my custard didn't set too well, despite adding 2 or 3 spoons of cornstarch. I'll have to read up on making custard to find out what I did wrong. Other than the custard being runny, it was FABULOUS!
Very good. I cooked the custard a bit too long - I was afraid it wouldn't thicken once I cooled it, but I should have had faith. Would definitely make it again.
This rocked! One of my guests tried to take the whole bowl for himself; I had what leftovers I could keep out of his reach for breakfast! Super easy and a HUGE hit.
I made this recipe in 6 miniature trifle cups, and it was a hit. However, I used a custard mix and topped the dessert with strawberries and blackberries instead of strawberries and blueberries. I also used my grandmother's delicious whipped cream recipe which has a healthy dose of vanilla and sugar in it. The miniature trifles looked rather gourmet when finished!
This was my best trifle so far. I made some modifications I believe added to the success. 1. Added orange liquor to the sponge cake. 2. Added sugar and vanila to the whipping cream while whipping. 3. Made the sponge cake using the lemon chiffon cake recipe in allrecipes. 4. Made my own raspberry jam/sauce.
I did not like the sponge cake with this. I thought the custard was a little bland.
The name is right, this Trifle IS to die for! And it really is easy to make too. I used a store bought Lemon pound cake, doubled the Custard recipe, used Strawberry jam and strawberries instead of raspberries. Still, those changes are relatively minor and this is a very well deserved five stars!
Yummy! Doubled the custard recipe and used fresh berries. Didn't use much whipped cream, but added a small amount of sugar to what I did make! Definatly will make this again!
This is almost exactly how my mom makes it...only difference is she moistens the sponge cake with sherry. Super delicious!!
I am evil and don't like raspberries. See, I told you. Anyway, I use peach or strawberry preserves and it's marvelous!!!
I made this for a family event and it was AWESOME! It's light yet full of flavor! I love it!
Rachel tried to make this on the show Friends, I'm sure this one was much better hehe. Delicious.
This recipe is pretty authentic but traditional trifle includes soaking sponge cake with sherry however, I prefer to use Chambord. I also used Sara Lee frozen pound cake which has an excellent consistency. Be sure to add a little sugar to the whipped cream and top the trifle with the fruit(s) of your choice. Excellent recipe!
This reminds me of childhood! It may be the best dessert ever. Fresh, light, flavorful! I did double the custard recipe to make it more like my childhood memory, but otherwise... perfection!
I used angel food cake (store bought) and doubled the custard. My dinner guests raved over it and ate every last bite. Don't make this if you want leftovers.
I made this for a family Christmas gathering. Everyone couldn't get enough! There was some left over, and it got better each time it was served.
Pretty good recipe but needs some adjustments. The whipped cream and custard amounts need to be doubled or else the trifle is too dry. Also, I followed the instructions and yet my custard did not thicken. I will look elsewhere next time for a custard recipe.
This disappeared in 5 minutes! Very simple to make. I used lady fingers lined the bottom and sides of the bowl. I used raspberries and strawberries. As it was being devoered, everyone made suggestions for other fruit and flavors. Definately a keeper!
much much better than the instant vanilla pudding trifles. definately worth the effort.
Superb classic trifle. This was the first time I had ever made home made egg custard and it didn't quite turn out right but I have since made it again and I will never turn back.
following changes: 1 layer of cake 1 pint strawberries + 1 banana 2 cups pudding 2 cups whipped cream repeat 1 more layer
I haven't tried this recipe but I have a small suggestion that is valid for most trifle. Make it the day before you need it and store it in the fridge. It's waaaay better the second day. Cheers
i actually didn't like the custard. it didn't make very much and it was very runny and tasted too much like the cream. i wound up substituting it with another recipe i had. i did do the raspberry jam part and that part was good.
even though my custard didn't turn out, i am giving this five stars because i'm sure i did something wrong. I think i cooked it too long because the custard curdled. I cooked some vanilla pudding as a substitute and it was still delicious.
I did this for a pot luck at work and it was a great hit. I did find that I had to use more cream than suggested but it tasted very good.
Amazing! I made this for christmas and everybody loved it! I used a vanilla pod for the custard and didn't use the jam. I sprinkled fresh berries with sugar and let their juices moisten the cake. It was great.
Easy recipe to follow. Did get runny custard one time. Not sure why. Family loves it!
I made this trifle for christmas in 2010 and everyone loved it. I did have to double the recipe to fill my huge trifle dish to the top. I will make this dish every year for Christmas. A new Christmas tradition to be charished and longed for all year. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
I had a Downton Abbey party and this was one of the British foods I made. The directions were very clear and the outcome was fantastic. I don't even care for berries, but i think I had four or five helpings! I did use blackberry jam and berries, as well as frozen blueberries, which I think turned out well and they were cheaper than raspberries. Everyone loved the toasted almonds on top! Great, great recipe. I'll be making it again soon just for my house!
I make trifle every New Year Day - thought I’d try this recipe due to the custard method using all heavy cream. I doubled the recipe for the custard to serve 16. Followed exactly except adding 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla when custard was thick and done cooking. I also added 2 tablespoon of cornstarch to the yokes before adding to the hot cream. This was the best custard I ever made. Which made my trifle the best one I ever made as well. Great richness & flavor. Will use this recipe always :)
Delicious overall. I bought a sponge cake at the grocery store, which i think was a bit big. Next time i will double the custard recipe, because it turned out great and i wanted more. Added some vanilla and almond essence to the custard, next time i will throw in a vanilla bean. I don't think that whipping the custard was necessary, it was a bit hard to judge when it was done because of all the foam.
This recipe is awesome but I would double the custard and whip cream! I cut back the pound cake to one and used one full standard box of strawberries, 1/2 box of raspberries, 1/2 box blueberries, and 1/2 box of blackberries. Next time I will cut one pound cake into small pieces. 1/2 inch cubes. It was too much to bite into large pieces. After 2 hours didn't absorb any custard. I used strawberry glaze over strawberries! Yum. Trying kiwi and pineapple too maybe banana after dipped in orange juice. Loved it.
I made this the day before our Christmas dinner. I made no changes, other than I used pound cake, and will make it again the same. We loved it, as not wetting the cake with booze or whatever kept the flavours intact and not soggy.
I recently hosted a meal wherein I made a dish from each guest's nationalities. I searched for the perfect dessert recipe for the English guest and I hit the jackpot with this! I felt it could have had just a bit more custard, but everyone else felt it was spot-on. This dessert impressed my friends immensely!
This recipe was great! I had to look to find one that was made the right way, (without instant pudding), and finally found this one. It was so delicious and I will definitely be making this again. Thank you.
Hello This was delicious however, I found that there was not enough custard ( especially if you want to do layers) and I found the custard to be too runny. Could I perhaps add cornstarch? I used ladyfingers instead of cake and omitted the jam( too sweet) I also added fresh blueberries and peach slices.
Amazingly yumm
Trifle turned out delicious. Everyone enjoyed it. The only thing I did differently was add a little spiced rum to it!!!
I make this every year for my husband’s birthday. Made the cake from scratch just because we are gluten free but do what works for you. I also always double the custard recipe because we like a lot of custard
I made this to take to a new friend's house for Christmas dessert. It was quite a hit! I made the pound cake from a mix and followed the rest of the recipe exactly. The pudding was a little too rich for me, but they loved it. I think next time I will make the custard with 2% milk. It is so rich; I almost felt guilty for those with cholesterol problems!
Ive been using this recipe for a quite awhile. I love it and so does everybody else! The custard recipe does need to be atleast doubled if not tripled depending on how many your feeding. You definitely want to have extra. Its amazing pieced together with all the other ingredients or just the custard alone.
Made it for Christmas Eve Family dinner. Everyone loved it. Will make it again for sure.
This is perfect, a great dessert that isn't super heavy and showcases the fruit. I used homemade peach pound cake to give it the peach melba flavor and it was perfect.
I've made this two years in a row for our company's holiday pot luck and it's gotten RAVE reviews - absolutely to die for! I mix it up with fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and/or blackberries.
This was surprisingly easy to make and delicious. I made the custard exactly as recommended (except I didn't bother with straining the eggs). Unlike other reviewers, I thought it was the right amount, consistency, and flavor. I did, however, add one tablespoon of sugar to the whip cream. We also significantly changed the bottom layer, based on my English husbands memories of triffle. His version used jello instead of jam, mixing the fruit (strawberries) in with the (strawberry) jello and pouring it over pound cake, which we had first splashed with brandy. Because we made this on the spot for his fb picture induced craving, we set the jello in the freezer and that worked well too. The last change was omitting the almonds. I was a bit skeptical that it would taste like a bad 80's pot luck with the jello, but the flavors all balanced each other perfectly! We'll definitely be making it again.
Ive been using this recipe for a quite awhile. I love it and so does everybody else! The custard recipe does need to be atleast doubled if not tripled depending on how many your feeding. You definitely want to have extra. Its amazing pieced together with all the other ingredients or just the custard alone.
While this recipe is basically OK, it makes for a very anemic trifle! You MUST double the custard part of the recipe, otherwise there just isn't any custard to speak of and it's just cake and whipped cream. I used Lady Fingers and it was perfect.
Three adults loved this trifle...one was me. Next time I am going to use jello cook and serve vanilla pudding instead of the custard. I will be making this again and again!
