Trifle anyone?

We had a lunch to go to yesterday, and I took a large trifle. Is this a dessert anyone is familiar with? I'm wondering if it's an Oz/NZ speciality, or whether it originates in the UK? It's a very old style dessert, which was big in the 60s and 70s. It still makes a regular appearance at Christmas dinners, particularly in rural parts of the country.

For the uninitiated, trifle is a custard, fruit and jelly concoction, put together in layers and topped with cream. Below a photo of mine, but it often looks much more classy than this (with distinct layers). The red jelly is non-negotiable, but the fruit can vary (I used peaches), as can the type of cake base. Traditionally it's made with purchased pound cake or jelly rolls, custard from a box and tinned fruit - I couldn't stand that, of course, so I had to make pound cake and custard from scratch.

I guess it's our version of tiramisu and Eton Mess. If you don't "do" trifle, do you have an equivalent in your part of the world?

TRIFLE!!!

I always understood that trifle was a preferred way for elderly ladies to sneak a large swig of sherry into the cooking. I'd figured it originated here, but don't know for sure. Ours always had fruit in jelly on the bottom, a soggy sponge layer (where the sherry hid), a layer of custard and whipped cream on top, covered in 'hundreds and thousands'.

I hate the stuff, but am a fan of Eton Mess. We had a fantastic variant last month at the Cantley Cock pub after a 4 mile country walk. They used some tropical fruits instead of the usual red fruits, but they really understood that wine adage of sweet balancing against acidity and it had a wonderful tangy element cutting right through the cream etc.

regards

Ian

p.s. I do recall a friend's specialiy dessert 'Chocolate lumpy bumpy' which was crumbled flake bar, plus maltesers, plus other such sweet stuff, all mixed into 'chocolate angel delight' (a cheap commercial dessert vaguely like mousse). Good fun then, but I think I'd tread gingerly now.

Oh you don't have to yell.

Your Eton Mess sounds like our trifle - I was sure when I saw Nigella make it that it didn't have any fruit in it! I thought it was always just whipped cream and crushed meringue. And I've never seen trifle with hundreds and thousands, although it wouldn't surprise me if that was a common variation here (after all, "fairy bread" is an Oz kids' party staple).

Flake bars and Maltesers - I remember a funny episode of Jamie Oliver where the dessert he made was smashed Maltesers sprinkled over purchased icecream. Made me laugh because he made such a big deal over smashing the Maltesers up - so that some were powdery, and some were lumpy...

sorry!!

err, I mean sorry

Yes - I'd agree that yours sounds and looks much more appetising

Nah, it actually looks pretty crappy. But it tasted delicious!

Next time I make this, I'm going to use berries. Just not bananas. I've never been a bananas and cream girl, can't eat pavlova with bananas on it etc.

I have had some trifles in the past that were absolutely delicious, and others that were horrid. A good trifle is definitely worth trifling with!

There's nothing better than to trifle with a good trifle!

It's British, as far as I know, and I was introduced to trifle (other than reading Agatha Christie novels) when IBM sent me to England in 1974.

Sherried sponge, custard, TONS of whipped cream, some varied fruits (usually canned mixed fruit in a restaurant, but better with fresh slices of peach and halved grapes and so forth, and yes, red jelly -- currant? Anyway, sharp-tasting stuff.

I first had trifle in an old pub/restaurant in Dorset. On the A1, but the town escapes me. It was the Somebody's Arms. (Isn't that helpful?)

I've tried to replicate and what I've made has been edible, but not "the same".

BTW, I've also had really bad, heavy, tasteless stuff called by the same name.

John

I think for a long time it was "instant" dessert - packaged ingredients thrown together in excessive amounts to feed the masses. It's never going to be high class, but it was fun to make and eat!

[Jenise]

Trifles look beautiful and I see a lot of them here in the U.S. these days, but I've always presumed its origins are English. Have never partaken myself since it's full of goopy white stuff.

[Jenise]

From the Oxford Companion to Food:

A traditional English sweet.... The word trifle derives from the Middle English 'trufle' which in turn came from the Old French trufe meaning something of little importance.

Originally, in the late 16th century, the culinary meaning of the word trifle was 'a dish composed of cream boiled with various ingredients'. This is also the description one could give of a fool. Indeed, Florio, in his dictionary of 1598, bracketed the two terms when he wrote 'a kinde of clouted cream called a foole or a trifle'. The first known recipe entitled trifle was in The Good Huswife's Jewel (1596) by T. Dawson and there were many such recipes in the 17th century.

When I think about trifle I always think about the "Friends" episode when Rachel made trifle. I don't remember how it happened, but I think the pages of the cookbook stuck together. She ended up with a trifle of fruit, cake, cream, roast beef, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

Joey, of course, ate it.

Thanks for that, Jenise. I guess I'm not surprised it's of English origin - a lot of our traditional rural fare is British based. With the exception of pavlova, of course, but we're still fighting with the Kiwis over who owns bragging rights for that.

Thanks for that, Jenise. I guess I'm not surprised it's of English origin - a lot of our traditional rural fare is British based. With the exception of pavlova, of course, but we're still fighting with the Kiwis over who owns bragging rights for that.

Celia
It's been clearly established as Australian, just as per Crowded House and Russell Crowe.
Assimilation is the way to go with these things. Just don't attempt to assimilate the football team though, or the consequences may be unfortunate...

regards

Ian

Ian, I laughed, and then called you a bad word.

Celia,

My husband made it a few times when we first started dating and I thought it was horrible. It could be that he didn't make it very well, though. His was usually a doughnut (or sponge cake) soaked in brandy. Then a layer of strawberry "Jelly" (what we in the US call Jell-O). In the gelatin was suspended fruit, usually mandarin oranges or a can of fruit cocktail. Then a layer of custard and finally a layer of whipped cream.

I guess it could be good if done right. I do think it's like Tiramisu in that way. A bad one is really, really bad, but when done properly, it's my favourite dessert.

I think the worst part of a trifle (or tiramisu for that matter) is when there is too much liquid...I think hubby oversoaked the donuts and didn't let the Jelly set up properly...so it was really a soggy mess. Not my favourite flavour combos either, so I am sure that doesn't help.

Ian, hubby never finished his with hundreds and thousands...I wonder if that was for the kids .

A good Trifle made with just a bit of care and fresh fruit is a wonderful treat.
>Strawberries covered with "Danish Junket" or thicken fruit soup made with a bit of the berry juice to replace some of the water needed.
> a layer of some sort of simple white or pound cake, or lady fingers brushed with Cointreau
> then a layer of simple homemade vanilla pudding
> another layer of fresh berries
>and topped with a well whipped heavy cream
> garnished with a fresh mint leaf

What is not to like? simple and not too sweet!

A bad Trifle made with "stop and shop" ingredients.
> frozen strawberries mixed with purchased strawberry glaze
> Hostess Twinkies brushed with orange marmalade
> strawberry jam
Topped with Cool Whip

What is not to dislike!

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