With that, and a half demolished trifle in my fridge in mind, I decided to have a little google for trifle recipes. One nice thing you can do with trifle is choose a theme and go with it eg. an Australia Day trifle made with lamingtons. My favourites in a preliminary web browse are the Port Wine Trifle and the Banana Caramel Trifle. I have to qualify this last link by saying that I really do NOT like trifles with Madiera cake or jam sponges or jam rolls. Any jam added to a trifle just makes it sickly sweet, whether it's spread over the cake or bought like that. Urk. Totally unnecessary. The only jam exception I will make is that some people microwave a few teaspoons of jam to stir in with their plonk if it's not a very sweet one.
There are plenty of recipes for Black Forest Trifles and chocolate trifles too. Personally, I've done a chocolate one using chocolate mousse instead of jelly, but having watched Maggie Beer do a lovely espresso jelly recently has caused me to rethink the chocolate trifle idea. I'd like to see a rich grown-up chocolate trifle with a hint of mocha ie. coffee jelly and possibly kahlua on chocolate sponge.
Now it's time to introduce you to my classic trifle method (as opposed to recipe):
- 1 or 2 unfilled sponge cakes from the supermarket OR a packet of Savoiardi (sponge finger) biscuits - no jam rolls or Madeira for reasons already discussed.
- 1/2 - 1 cup of plonk (suggested choices include marsala, sherry, dessert wines, chocolate liqueur, kirsch, Bailey's Irish Cream, Grand Marnier etc). For non-alcoholic versions the choices are just as endless - the liquid drained from your tinned fruit, chocolate/strawberry/banana flavoured milk, ice-cream toppings, cold coffee [nice mixed with marsala for a tiramisu flavoured trifle], well pureed fruit or fruit coulis, some brave folks even use fruit juice but I'd be wary of curdling the dairy products in the trifle.
- Break sponge into pieces, place in a large casserole dish with a lid and drizzle with plonk. Cover cake and leave in fridge overnight.
- Make one or two jellies in separate containers according to packet directions. Add fresh / tinned fruit or frozen berries to the jelly if desired. [Helps conceal the fruit from fussy toddlers.] Allow to set in fridge over night.
- Make a nice thick batch of custard according to packet directions, or be lazy and buy a carton or two at the supermarket. You can buy the thick stuff, but it's a matter of personal preference how you like your custard in your trifle. Personally, if I'm using really runny custard, I'd be inclined to go easy on the plonk. If you made the custard yourself, cover the top of it with a sheet of glad wrap and put it in the fridge overnight to cool.
- In the morning/afternoon/whenever you get around to it: compile all the goodness together in several casserole dishes or sexy glass bowls, parfait glasses or whatever is your desired serving dish. You may need to make more than you think you'll need because this trifle is damn tempting just sitting there in your fridge.
- Once you have fairly evenly compiled the sponge, custard, jelly and fruit, you are ready to top it all with a generous layer of (barely sweetened, vanilla added) whipped cream. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT skimp on this step. This is the contrast in flavour and texture that makes it all something magical. It also hides the chaos beneath. The top can be sprinkled with something nice eg. chocolate sprinkles, coconut, nuts, cinnamon,.... try and go with the theme of your trifle.
[sigh] As Dora's Backpack says "Delicioso".
This is a dessert classic and even the single bloke with limited culinary skills could probably knock up a nice one to impress the ladies.
Trifle,... make one today.
