Sherry Trifle

Name: Sherry Trifle
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 8 Sponge Cakes; 4 tablespoons of Raspberry Jam; 100 ml of Sherry; 4 sheets of Gelatin; 750 g of Raspberries; 2 tablespoons of Sugar; 1 teaspoon of Lemon Juice; 600 ml of Whole Milk; 1 Vanilla Bean; 5 Egg Yolks; 75 g of Sugar; 2 tablespoons of Corn Starch; 300 ml of Heavy Cream; 1 tablespoon of Powdered Sugar; 25 g of Sliced Almonds

Sherry trifle is the British layered pudding of sherry-soaked sponge, raspberry jelly, vanilla custard and whipped cream, served cold at Christmas.

Difficulty Medium
Preparation 40 minutes
Cooking 20 minutes
Servings for 8 people

Sherry trifle is a cold pudding built in layers in a glass bowl, so that each one shows through the side: trifle sponges spread with jam and soaked in sherry, a layer of raspberry jelly, a thick band of vanilla custard and a cap of whipped cream with toasted almonds.

The word trifle has been in English cookbooks since the 16th century, when it meant a flavored sweet cream. In the 1750s writers such as Hannah Glasse were already layering wine-soaked biscuits, custard and syllabub, and jelly arrived a few years later. Today trifle is a classic of Christmas Day and Boxing Day in Britain and Ireland, and in Australia and New Zealand, where it is often made with Swiss roll, tinned peaches and fruit jelly.

Every layer needs time in the fridge to set, so it is usually made the day before.

Ingredients for 8 people

For the base:
8 Sponge Cakes trifle sponges
4 tablespoons of Raspberry Jam
100 ml of Sherry sweet or medium
For the raspberry jelly:
4 sheets of Gelatin leaf, platinum grade
750 g of Raspberries fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons of Sugar caster (superfine)
1 teaspoon of Lemon Juice
For the custard:
600 ml of Whole Milk
1 Vanilla Bean split lengthways, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 Egg Yolks large
75 g of Sugar caster (superfine)
2 tablespoons of Corn Starch cornflour
For the topping:
300 ml of Heavy Cream double
1 tablespoon of Powdered Sugar icing sugar
25 g of Sliced Almonds flaked

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Method

Split the trifle sponges in half through the middle, spread the cut sides with the raspberry jam and sandwich them together again. Cut each one into two or three pieces and pack them closely over the base of a 2 to 2.5 liter (8 to 10 cup) glass bowl. Sprinkle the sherry evenly over the top and press down lightly with the back of a spoon so it soaks in.
For the jelly, soak the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Set aside 12 of the best raspberries for decorating and put the rest in a pan with the caster sugar and lemon juice. Warm them over a low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the fruit collapses and gives up its juice.
Rub the hot raspberries through a sieve into a jug, scraping the underside, until only the seeds are left: you should have about 500 ml (2 cups) of thick juice. Squeeze the water out of the gelatin and stir it into the hot juice until fully dissolved, without boiling. Let it cool for 10 minutes, pour it over the sponges, then cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours, until set.
Meanwhile, start the custard. Heat the milk with the split vanilla pod until it steams, take it off the heat and leave it to infuse for 10 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar and the cornflour (cornstarch) until smooth and pale.
Scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk and discard the pod. Pour the hot milk slowly onto the yolks, whisking all the time, then return everything to the pan. Cook over a low to medium heat, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the custard is thick and the first bubble breaks the surface: the cornflour stops it from curdling. Pour it into a bowl, press a sheet of baking parchment onto the surface to stop a skin forming and leave it until barely warm.
Spoon the custard over the set jelly and spread it right to the sides of the bowl, so the layers show neatly through the glass. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Up to 4 hours before serving, whip the double cream (heavy cream) with the icing sugar until it just holds soft peaks and spread or pipe it over the custard. Toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden, let them cool and scatter them over the cream with the reserved raspberries. Keep the trifle in the fridge and serve it with a large spoon, so everyone gets a little of every layer. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

Many families use ready-made custard: about 750 ml (3 cups) of thick fresh or tinned custard, or custard made from powder, in place of the homemade one. A packet of raspberry or strawberry jelly, made up with a little less water than the packet says and poured over the sponges and some whole fruit, replaces the homemade jelly; for a vegetarian trifle, use vegetarian jelly crystals or agar. In Australia and New Zealand the base is often sliced jam Swiss roll with tinned peaches, and the Scottish tipsy laird uses whisky or Drambuie instead of sherry. For children, replace the sherry with orange juice.

Tips

Choose a sweet or medium sherry, such as cream or oloroso: a very dry fino tastes harsh here. Leaf gelatin comes in different strengths, and these quantities are for platinum-grade sheets; check the packet, which says how much liquid each sheet sets. Never let the raspberry juice boil once the gelatin is in, or it may not set. The custard must be cool before it goes on the jelly, or it will melt it, and the cream should be whipped only to soft peaks, so it spreads smoothly and does not turn grainy.

Storage

The trifle keeps covered in the fridge for up to 2 days and is at its best made the day before; add the cream topping on the day you serve it. It does not freeze: custard and jelly turn watery as they thaw.