The best trifle dessert recipes combine the taste of fruits and custard with the creaminess of a creme brulee. Served in family style or individual cups, trifle is a simple yet elegant dessert. If you’re looking for some new ideas, check out our Pinterest board “Trifles and Parfaits” for lots of tasty ideas. Then, get baking! This trifle recipe is sure to become your go-to recipe.
A classic trifle is a multi-layered dessert made with three layers: a base layer of fruit, a layer of sherry-soaked cake, and a thick custard. It’s best served in an elegant dish, and a glass bowl makes the dish look extra special. You can also top the trifle with dark berry jelly. There are no right or wrong ways to layer the desserts, but a glass bowl or a crystal bowl is ideal.
To prepare a trifle dessert, you’ll need a 13×9 cake, which you can buy at any bakery or online. Cut the halves horizontally, and spread raspberry jam and cream sherry over the surface. Slice the cake into squares, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Then, toss berries with sugar and allow them to macerate for two hours. After the berries have had time to macerate, you’ll need heavy whipping cream and a mixer.
How To Make A Delicious Trifle?
This trifle is a tutorial for preparing a “fast and dirty” trifle. We want to show you how prepared; store-bought components may come together to make a show-stopping dessert that “looks homemade.” Of course, you can make each layer from scratch if you want to, but sometimes time gets away from you, and you need a quick fix.
As previously stated, you’ll need a few complementary components to create distinct and appetizing layers. Here’s what we used for this trifle, but keep in mind that you may need more of each component depending on the size and form of your vessel.
How Many Layers Does A Trifle Have?
From the bottom to the top, we recommend layering cake, a moisture layer (fruit/liquor, etc. ), creamy custard, and fruit; then continue layers till almost to the top. (The number of layers in a trifle is usually three; however, it depends on the vessel.) Finally, finish with whipped cream and whatever ornamental toppings you believe would complete the look. The truth is that there are no rules, so layer as much as you like.
Top Five Best Trifle Dessert Recipes
- Classic British Trifle
- Banana Pudding Trifle
- Lemon Blueberry Trifle
- Death by Chocolate Trifle
- Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle
Depending on the recipe, the cake can be homemade or store-bought. Whether you prefer an almond-flavored cake, a sponge cake, or a cake with a drier texture, trifles will be a hit at any party or get-together. The best trifle dessert recipes use all three types of cake. They can be made as simple as one layer of chocolate pudding or as complicated as a multilayer masterpiece.
1. Classic British Trifle
A proper classic trifle should contain a fruit or sherry-soaked cake on the bottom layer, followed by a thick layer of creamy custard on top.
This is presented in a large dish with towering sides and a stand. Trifle dishes can be found for a low price on the internet, and I think they’re a good investment. At the very least, it will be the most Instagrammed dish you own.
Dark berry jelly and fresh whipped cream are served on the cake and custard. You may layer it any way you want and use any fruit you want. The layered appearance of this dish in a glass bowl is due to the layering.
2. Banana Pudding Trifle
Magnolia Bakery is a must-see for anybody visiting New York City. Their banana pudding is world-famous and comes in a wide range of flavors. The classic, on the other hand, has to be the finest! Instant pudding and vanilla wafers are used in this recipe, as they are in the Magnolia recipe.
The creamy cheesecake filling is what sets this recipe apart. As if it wasn’t already incredible! Just be sure to leave everything aside for at least an hour to allow the pudding and cream to soften the cookies.
3. Lemon Blueberry Trifle
This trifle has my inner pumpkin spice latte-drinking, sweater-weather-loving self thrilled with anticipation.
Layers of soft gingerbread cake, pumpkin pie-infused instant pudding, and Cool Whip combined to create a fall treat that you will adore.
It’s as easy as mixing pumpkin pie filling into prepared pudding for the pudding. The gingersnaps on top add a wonderful crunch, and a drizzle of salted caramel wouldn’t go amiss here.
4. Death by Chocolate Trifle
If you’re going to deviate from the norm, this decadent chocolate trifle is the way to go. Buy brownie pieces and instant pudding if you want to prepare this as quickly as possible. It’ll taste just as good and take half the time to prepare. Begin with a layer of brownie pieces and then a layer of chilled, creamy chocolate pudding on top.
5. Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle
Everything in this dish is handmade except the Cool Whip. So, if you want to impress someone, keep reading!
It’s frighteningly simple to make peanut butter pudding. Prepare to make this repeatedly after you see how simple it is. I think a warm brownie paired with warm peanut butter pudding would be incredible. You won’t be sorry if you can wait and let everything cool down.
This trifle not only layers brownies with peanut butter pudding and Cool Whip, but it also tosses in some Reese’s cups for good measure. The only way to improve this (it’s already perfect) is to sprinkle more Reese’s Pieces on top.
If I Don’t Have A Trifle Bowl, What Can I Do?
If you don’t have a trifle bowl or can’t find one at a thrift store, any deep bowl with tall sides will suffice. A clear ice bucket, a glass punch bowl, or mason jars (for individual servings) will suffice if you’re in a hurry.
Finding something tall enough with an appropriate circumference is the key. Keep in mind that if you choose a too wide vessel, your layers will be thinner. As you can see, our trifle has thinner layers, but they all tallied up to the bowl’s rim.
How Do You Prepare A Custard Set For A Trifle?
When you look at tasty trifle recipes, you’ll notice that many uses flavored gelatin. Those recipes usually require making gelatin, solidifying it, and then cutting it into cubes to layer.
Pastry cream, which thickens on the heat, was utilized in our recipe. It had thickened but was still spreadable when it came time to add it to the layers.
We recommend making your custard (for example, a pudding mix) and letting it cool if you need to set your custard layer. Mix it up a little and pour it over the previous layers when it’s cool enough to handle. Refrigerate the trifle bowl, tightly covered, for about half an hour or until it is set, as needed.
It’s time to savor the results of your labor now that you know how simple it is to prepare a trifle. Your folks will assume you slaved away in the kitchen for hours. Shh! If you don’t tell us, we won’t tell.
Is It Possible To Make Trifle The Day Before?
You can make a trifle ahead of time, and it’s better if you wait for the tastes to meld. We suggest serving the trifle between 4 and 24 hours after it’s been created. However, wait until just before serving for the most pleasing presentation to add the top whipped cream layer.
Refrigerate your trifle in an airtight container. Trifle should last three days if properly stored. The dessert’s integrity will deteriorate after three days, but it will still be delightful and safe to eat.
Conclusion
The best trifle dessert recipes feature layers of cake and pudding. For a chocolate trifle, you can layer two layers of chocolate. Then, you can layer the cake and the pudding and drizzle it with whipped cream. Then, you can top it with a piece of ice cream. The best trifle dessert recipes include a combination of fruits, nuts, and whipped cream. You can also create a chocolate and vanilla trifle by combining the flavors of lemon and limoncello.
