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Recipe Detail Page
English Summer Trifle
Summer 2013
In the beginning—well, 1596 to be exact—when the first trifle recipe was published in England, it was a thick cream flavoured with ginger, rosewater and sugar. A few decades later, milk was added and the custard was poured over alcohol-laced bread. Today it has morphed into one of the British Isles’s favourite party desserts. The Scottish version, called Tipsy Laird, uses Drambuie or whisky. Here, we’ve used fresh summer berries, classic sponge cakes, lemon curd, Devon custard and, oh yes, lots of whipped cream and sherry.
Serves 12
2 pkgs (195 g each) individual sponge cakes or dessert shells, about 12
½ to ¾ cup (125 to 175 mL) dry sherry
2 cups (500 mL) each of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries
16 oz (500 g) strawberries
1 cup (250 mL) lemon curd
1½ cups (375 mL) whipping cream, divided
2 cans (425 g each) Devon custard
1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar
Icing sugar (optional)
1 To dry cake a little so it will absorb the sherry, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces and spread out on a baking sheet. Leave, uncovered, on the counter for a few hours or overnight.
2 For trifle, turn sponge cake pieces into a big bowl. While stirring cake, drizzle sherry overtop. In a separate bowl, combine the blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Hull strawberries and cut in half or quarters. Stir with the other berries, then set aside about 2 cups (500 mL) for decorating the trifle. Put lemon curd in a separate bowl and stir in ½ cup (125 mL) of whipping cream until evenly blended and smooth.
3 To assemble, choose a 12-cup (3-L) straight-sided glass serving bowl. Cover the bottom with half the cake. Pour 1 can of Devon custard overtop and gently spread almost to the edges. Spoon the lemon curd overtop and use the back of a spoon to swirl over the custard. Scatter with half the fruit. Repeat the cake, custard and lemon curd layers. Add the remaining fruit. If making a day ahead, cover and refrigerate.
4 To serve, whip remaining 1 cup (250 mL) cream with granulated sugar until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Mound on the trifle. Decoratively arrange the reserved fruit on top and sprinkle with icing sugar, if desired.
Serves 12
