CLASSIC ENGLISH TRIFLE
PUDDING
A
Trifle is a dessert dish invariably made from thick custard, fruit, sponge
cake, fruit juice or jelly and whipped cream. These ingredients are
usually arranged in layers in a beautiful glass dish with the sponge cake
forming the bottom layer. The earliest known recipe for “Trifle” was published
in a book called "The good housewife's Jewell" by Thomas Dawson. in
1596 in England. The ingredients for this first Trifle Recipe was thick cream
flavoured with sugar, ginger and rosewater pored over slices of Sponge Cake.
Sixty years later, milk custard was added to the list of ingredients and the
custard was poured over alcohol-soaked bread.
A
Trifle Pudding is often used for decoration as well as taste, incorporating the
bright, layered colours of the fruit, jelly, jam, and the contrast of the creamy
yellow custard and white cream. Some trifles contain a small amount of alcohol
such as port, or, most commonly, sweet sherry or madeira wine. These Trifles
are known as ‘TIPSY TRIFLES” The Non-alcoholic versions may, instead use fruit
juices or soft drinks such as ginger ale, lemonade etc as the liquid is
necessary to moisten the cake layers.
Trifle
Puddings are often served in Anglo-Indian Homes at Christmas time, sometimes as
a lighter alternative to the much denser Christmas pudding. No specific recipe
need be followed for preparing a Trifle. It all depends on the availability of
the ingredients. One can mix and match in a Trifle and just innovate. The
contents of a trifle can be varied according to one’s choice. Here is a step by
step Recipe for a simple Trifle that I made for my Granddaughter’s First Holy
Communion Lunch
Ingredients
300
grams sponge cake
4
tablespoons mixed fruit jam
1
large tin of canned mixed fruit or 2 cups of chopped fresh fruit of your choice
1
cup prepared jelly
500
ml fresh cream
500
ml whipped cream
1
cup prepared custard
1.
Whip the fresh cream and whipped cream separately to soft peaks consistency
2.
Drain the excess syrup from the canned fruits. Mix 2 tablespoons of jam to this
fruit syrup and mix well. (If using Fresh Fruit then use a cup of apple juice
or any other fruit juice). Divide the fruit into 3 portions
3.
Using a sharp knife, slice the cake horizontally into a layer so that it fits
the bottom of the bowl in which the pudding is to be set.
4.
Spread the layer of cake liberally with jam.
5.
Place the cake layer in the glass bowl and soak with the fruit syrup Press down
firmly down.
6.
Now spread a layer of the fruit over the soaked sponge cake layer.
7.Top
this layer with one portion of the fresh Cream.
8.
Repeat a second layer of the fruit.
9.
Top this fruit layer with the custard
10.
Repeat a third layer of fruit
10.
Now spread a layer of whipped cream using a spatula.
11. Garnish with cubes of jelly, cut
fresh fruit, cherries, walnuts etc.
Chill and serve when required.
