Sherry Trifle
Sponge soaked in sherry, fruit, thick custard and whipped cream: the make-ahead pudding that has graced Christmas tables for generations.
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- Prep
- 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 30 min
- Makes
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Pudding
- Cuisine
- Northern Irish
In Northern Ireland, as in much of Britain and Ireland, a big glass bowl of sherry trifle is part of Christmas. Each layer is simple, and it must be made ahead, which makes it the busy host's best friend.
Ingredients
Cups use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Weighing is more accurate.
- 200 g Madeira cake or trifle sponges, sliced
- 4 tbsp raspberry jam
- 100 ml sweet or medium sherry
- 400 g raspberries or mixed berries, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 500 ml thick custard, homemade or ready-made
- 300 ml double cream (US: heavy cream)
- 1 tbsp icing sugar (US: powdered sugar)
- 25 g toasted flaked almonds or glacé cherries, to decorate
Equipment
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Method
- 1
Spread the sponge slices with jam and arrange them over the base of a large glass bowl. Spoon over the sherry and leave to soak for 10 minutes.
- 2
Scatter the fruit over the sponge.
- 3
Pour the custard over the fruit in an even layer. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, until set.
- 4
Whip the cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks and spread it over the custard. Decorate with almonds or cherries just before serving.
Tips
A deep, footed trifle bowl shows off the layers. For a children's version, replace the sherry with orange juice.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Custard soaks into the sponge | Custard too thin | Use thick custard, cooled slightly |
| Cream weeps | Over-whipped or added too early | Whip to soft peaks and add on the day |
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead can I make a trifle?
The sponge, fruit and custard layers can be made a day ahead and chilled. Add the cream on the day.
Jelly or no jelly in trifle?
Both are traditional. A fruit jelly layer over the sponge is popular, especially with children; this version keeps it simple with fruit.
What can I use instead of sherry?
Orange juice, or a fruit juice from the tin of fruit, for an alcohol-free trifle.
Guides for this recipe
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Card photos: A layered trifle in a cut-glass trifle bowl, --Ben 18:33, 25 March 2006 (UTC) via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain; Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Balloon, spiral and ball whisks, Marie-Lan Nguyen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5, cropped; A slice of apple pie served with custard, Acabashi via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Champ: mashed potato with chopped spring onions, in a pan, Glane23 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Slices of fifteens with marshmallows and cherries, rolled in coconut, Keithawilliamson via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.