
English Trifle


Trifles, also known as ‘tispy cake’ is a classic British dessert that consists of layers of sponge fingers soaked in sherry, topped with layers of fresh fruit and whipped cream.
Ingredients and Method
Ingredients
- For the sponge
- 225g unsalted butter, softened
- 225g caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 225g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- For the trifle
- 1 tinned fruit cocktail in juice, pick out the cherries for later
- 1 packet of custard powder
- 1 pint milk
- 1 tub of fresh cream
- Sherry, optional
- Chocolate Shavings
- Fresh strawberries and blueberries to decorate
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C /Fan 160 °C/Gas mark 4. Grease a 30cm baking tin and line with baking parchment.
- Add the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder into a Mason Cash mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into your baking tin and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until well risen. Remove the sponge from the oven and leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then place on wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut the sponge into small rectangles and place at the bottom of your trifle dish.
- Drain half the juice from the tinned fruit cocktail and pour over the sponge based and pat down with a fork or spatula. You can sprinkle some sherry on top if you’re making a sherry trifle. Scatter the fruit over the sponge and pat down.
- Prepare the custard using milk and custard powder as per instructions on the packet. Leave to cool in the fridge until set.
- Once fully set, pour the custard over the sponge and fruit layer.
- Whisk the fresh cream until thick and forms stiff peaks. Spread evenly over the custard layer in a swirl pattern using the prongs of a fork. Place another layer of sponge, fruit custard and cream on top. You can include more layers depending on how tall your trifle dish is.
- Finish off your trifle with the remaining cream, some cherries, fresh fruit and chocolate shavings for decoration.