Trifle - A Traditional English Pudding (Dessert)

Trifle is one of my favorite desserts. A big bowl of trifle looks really pretty, but once it's served it looks a bit of a mess. So I always make individual trifles, even though the big bowl is quicker to make. Trifle, as we know it, dates from the mid-1700s. The English carried it over to America, and it's very popular in the South.

It's made up of layers of cake (moistened with sherry or something else), jam (and/or fruit), custard, and whipped cream. I always use pound cake, but you can use another cake. And I always use either strawberry or raspberry, jam and/or berry, but you can use any kind of fruit you prefer. But, please, no tinned fruit! A homemade egg custard is best, but I know people who—and I try not look shocked—use packaged (gasp!) puddings.

I know it's the height of summer, but I'm giving you my Winter Trifle, so called because I make it with strawberry freezer jam, giving us a taste of summer any time of year. I would not use a store-bought jam for this. Tell me about your favorite trifle!

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Trifle - Individual Trifles

 (Makes 8 individual trifles, about 2/3- to 3/4-cup each)

1 recipe stirred custard
1/2 loaf pound cake
1/3 cup triple sec or orange juice
1 cup strawberry freezer jam
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) heavy whipping cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Stirred Custard

1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar
1/4 dip-and-sweep cup (1.25 ounces/35 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups (20 fluid ounces/591 ml) milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Make stirred custard. In top of double-boiler, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in egg yolks, then milk, until thoroughly combined. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water, whisking constantly, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened (should register 160F/71C on instant-read thermometer). Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Whisk for 2 minutes until custard has cooled a bit. Place pan in large bowl of ice water for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Proceed with trifle recipe.

2 While custard is cooling, cut half a loaf of pound cake into eight slices not more than 1/2-inch thick; cut slices in half. Measure out the triple sec or orange juice and jam.

3 Assemble trifles:

Cake
1 teaspoon triple sec or orange juice
1 tablespoon strawberry freezer jam
2 tablespoons custard
Cake
1 teaspoon triple sec
1 tablespoon strawberry freezer jam
3 tablespoons custard

Note: You might want to use two teaspoons of liquid (one of triple sec and one of orange juice) to moisten each slice of cake. I use just one simply because my husband has an aversion to "soggy" and prefers things on the drier side.

4 Chill trifles for at least 8, or up to 24, hours. Not optional, this is a must.

5 When ready to serve, make the whipped cream. Put about 2 tablespoons whipped cream on each trifle; garnish each with a small strawberry with stem.

Jean

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