Trifle

Ratafias every time. Sprinkling of white port (or sherry). Raspberries. Vanilla custard, made partly with cream. Top layer of whipped cream. Sprinkled well at last minute with roasted flaked almonds. Heavenly.

When my children were small and I was pushed for time I used to make a quick trifle with sliced chocolate Swiss roll black cherries in syrup chocolate angel delight then cream topped with grated chocolate never any complaints from hungry boys

HettieCan you get ratafias nowadays? I haven't seen them around but then DH does the shopping.

We had a particularly hectic day yesterday and because I hadn't had time to make a pudding, DH was despatched to the supermarket to get something. He came back with a lovely looking trifle which, it turned out, was mostly cream. There was the merest suggestion of cake, frozen strawberries and meringue, with fresh strawberries on top, but no custard - just A LOT of cream. Not a trifle though. Here is my mum's trifle dish. You could float a battle ship in it and it doubles as a salad bowl for parties!

I make it like my mother before me and it's always requested at extended family gatherings. Sliced Swiss roll soaked in sherry, tinned raspberries or strawberries . Use minimum amount of boiling water to melt jelly and top up with fruit juice from tin. Just enough jelly to cover cake - don't like too much. Strawberry or raspberry blancmange then when set topped with whipped cream and decorated with whatever : 100s and 1000s , glacé cherries, left over raspberries, crushed milk flake sprinkled on etc( not all of these at once!) Nowadays I prefer to use fresh raspberries or strawberries but do miss the extra juice in the jelly. Also can't always get cheap jam Swiss roll now so have to get trifle sponges and spread with jam - not as nice. Left over jelly in little dishes usually wolfed up by the children. Recently my DiL wouldn't let the children eat it because of sherry so have to miss it out when they are there!

Lovely pics of trifle bowls on here.I used to have my Grandma's dish which was a wedding present to them in 1920. Much like yours Greyduster but I gave it to DD1 a few years ago, and she uses it as a fruit bowl ( which I suppose was it's real purpose anyway.) Amazing how all this glass has survived intact the rough and tumble of family life.

I inherited my MiL's cut glass trifle bowl which was a wedding present to her in 1932. At a family gathering last year I picked it up to carry it to serve from, at the dining table and with no warning it shattered in my hands. I had one small cut but looked as if I had been in an abattoir, covered in red juice from a mix of fresh raspberries and strawberries.

According to the internet it is apparently not an uncommon occurrence and is something to do with sound waves.

DD was pretty miffed as she expected to inherit it in her turn as a memento of the Gran she never knew.

I love Delia's Caramelised Orange Trfifle for a spcial occasion - have done it for several Christmas Days and it has always gone down well! Rather fiddly and takes patience, but its so worth it!

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/desserts/trifle/caramelised-orange-trifle.html

We had a family friend who reckoned that a trifle wasn't worth eating unless it had at least half a pint of Navy Rum and sliced bananas, plus all the usual bits.

It has to have raspberries, fresh from the garden or home-frozen!
Occasionally with peaches tinned in juice if SIL is going to eat some.
DH likes jelly, I don't but DH wins.
Jam only Swiss roll soaked in sherry (or trifle sponges spread with raspberry jam)
Bird's custard, whipped cream and flaked almonds, optional glace cherries.
And a separate one without sherry for the DGC.

My DH makes a lovely trifle and adds a decent quantity of Baileys instead of sherry. Mmmmm.

I used to make it a lot when the DCs were small, I used swiss jam roll, fresh or tinned raspberries and Ambrosia custard. If I rarely make it nowadays then fresh raspberries, custard home made and struggle with whipping French cream but it's still yummy. Always use sherry. I seem to have inherited about five or six cut glass dishes of varying sizes, they all weigh a ton and probably some could be over 100 years old.

I have my mother's cut glass bowl, a wedding present in 1940, and another which was my wedding present in 1970. Both of such beautiful quality that I'm scared to use them! My mum used hers for trifle or fruit salad.

I have to say it's the only I can take alcohol.

I love old fashioned trifle and like some others here I inherited a trifle dish belonging to my grandmother.

My children don't like sherry so I soak the sponge with Creme de Cassis (blackberry liqueur)

For the fruit I always use tinned strawberries and add the juice to the jelly.

Then when I make the custard I use double cream .

For the top I use double cream and add a packet of dream topping.

It's food for the Gods

OMG..... This thread is full of such great trifle recipes I am writing them out ready for use!
Gagagran yes, I remember you telling this story a while ago ( and my thinking eeek, Grandma's old trifle bowl!) Since my DD only uses it as a fruit bowl hopefully she won't pick it up too often.)

My Auntie Rosie's trifle is fab.Sponge soaked in Harvey's cream sherry.Then fruit cocktail cover with jelly and whipped double cream.Delicious but only at Christmas.

I forgot the custard silly me.I hope I don't forget in real life smile

I don't normally like Harvey's Bristol Cream - except in trifle!

I have three crystal bowls, one a present two inherited, and one very old glass bowl which came from DP's next door neighbour, who seemed ancient when I was a child, so it could be over 100 years old.
Also a huge Dartington crystal bowl (fairly plain) which I bought myself which only comes out when lots of people are coming round.

I once went to dinner st a friend's, she produced a trifle which she professed to being an 'ancient family recipe'. It was fine till I saw the Birds Trifle box in the bin!!

I do a standard trifle like most of you but also my posh version made in a large loaf tin. Orange jelly made with as little boiling as possible, with a tin of mandarin oranges, including juice stirred in and a layer of boudoir biscuits on top. Left to set, tin dipped into hot water and turned out onto long sandwich plate, whipped cream piped around bottom and top then decorated with a row of mandarins.

No one has mentioned HOT trifle, which I make in winter with sponge buns, half a pot of HM jam (usually raspberry) thick custard. Heat until custard starts to caramelize, serve with cream. Or much the same made with our own plums and flaked almonds on top.

The black cherries in kirsch trifle sounds nice. I make an Amaretto and peach one. First layer is a mixture of trifle sponges and soft Amaretti biscuits liberally sprinkled with Amaretto liquer, then layer of peaches, a layer of custard topped with whipped cream and finished with a sprinkling of crumbled hard Amaretti biscuits. If I'm feeling decadent a few toasted almond flakes aswell.

I use the Bird's trifle in a box as a base and then add some extra goodies, including lots of sherry!

He He, its DDs birthday tomorrow and Im going for lunch, I offered to take some food and she asked for a trifle ( a nice one from asda) and that's what I will get a cheap squashy one from asda. Yummy.

If I make one I chuck bought sponges in the bottom and a tin of any fruit I have in the cupboard followed by jelly, that doesn't always set then custard which melts the jelly anyway, then serve it with aerosol cream with a handful of sprinkles. I am however reading these posts carefully and getting ideas for a better quality one. Tomorrow however its my squishy shop one.

I often top with toasted flaked almonds but ..... turn my back for a moment !!! Whether toasting them in the oven or under the grill...... they can burn in the blink of an eye.
Warnng - do not move, not one step, not for a moment. They are worth it