Trifle is historically served at tea time. It might be the oldest documented English dessert with a reference in Thomas Dawson's The Good Housewife's Jewell written in 1585. By the 18th century, Hannah Glasse recorded a modern trifle with a gelatin jelly in the book The Art of Cookery.
If made nicely it looks spectacular, a lovely centrepiece for a table in a large glass dish. After all, English trifle is set to impress! It can also be made into individual glasses. Trifle is often served at Christmas as a lighter alternative to the dense Christmas pudding.
Trifle is a sort of layer cake composed of layers of sponge cake or ladyfingers soaked in sherry or another fortified wine such as port or Madeira wine, stewed and/or fresh fruit, custard and topped with whipped cream. The very traditional version is made with raspberries, peaches and strawberry jam. Adding fruit-flavoured jelly is an attractive option - the sponge cake is soaked in jelly producing thus a pleasant texture. The non-alcoholic kids' versions of trifle use sweet juices or soft drinks to moisten the cake.
The traditional English trifle is just a trifle to make (easy and fast - no big deal) -
especially if you use ready-made cake, fruit preserve, custard and whipped cream. ;)
How many meanings of the English word 'trifle' do you know?
Can you find the right answer to our quick quiz? (hint: click on the button for help :))
CHOOSE WHAT THE WORD TRIFLE IS NOT:
a) a cold layered bowl dessert
b) child's play
c) a big problem
d) a noun
e) a verb
What I like most about this traditional dessert is that it's so deliciously versatile depending on your taste and/or ingredients on hand and it can be made ahead. Some versions omit fruit completely, using other components such as chocolate or coffee instead.
Scottish tipsy liard is a similar dessert dish made with whisky or damboui (a 40% liqueur made of Scotch whisky, honey, herbs and spices) and Scottish raspberries.
Do you have a trifle-like dessert in your country?
Let's finish on a creative note - what do you think happens when trifle meets tiramisu?
Here's my unpretentious take on the great classic ;) with the ingredients right from the pantry and our garden - petit beurre biscuits, whipped thick crème fraiche, raspberries and cinnamon.
In fact, the combinations are endless! What is your favourite?