Delicious English Trifle

Sweets and Desserts

Delicious English Trifle

PHOTO CREDIT: SUZANNE JETZULAR

Trifle is a classic English dessert, with layers of pound cake, Creme Anglais, fresh fruit, and whipped cream. This delicious trifle uses raspberries and poached pears, making it as delicious as it is beautiful.

Poached Pear and Raspberry Trifle with Almond Pound cake.

I have warm memories of holidays spent in East St. Louis, Ill. We’d drive over to my Aunt Lela’s for a few hours just to celebrate the holidays and eat an assortment of delicious foods and desserts. The dining room in the “house” was large enough to hold one long table which sat 24 family members and one, far-from Home. Aunt Lela made the best cakes, pies, and desserts.

Ever since then, holidays are not holidays without it. I had only ever made it with Bird’s English Custard and Sara Lee Pound cake. Bird’s is similar to Creme Anglaise, (“English Cream”) in the powdered form, and while not as fresh tasting and yummy as from scratch, Bird’s is a classic British ingredient and far easier.

Bird’s English Custard and Sara Lee Pound cake. can be found at most grocery stores. Instead of using a store-bought pound cake, try an Almond Pound Cake, sprinkled the cake with a combination of Amaretto (more almond flavor!) and Marsala.

Simplify the Trifle recipe by using Gluten-free Almond Pound cake, but you can use store-bought pound cake. Bird’s custard powder, and canned pears packed in their own juice can also be used, but don’t cheat on the fresh whipped cream! From there, you’ll just need to assemble the trifle!

What you’ll need for this English Christmas Trifle:

You’ll be making this layered dessert with pound cake, Creme Anglaise, fresh raspberries, poached pears, and whipped cream. The cake is sprinkled (soaked?) with a combination of Amaretto for more almond flavor and Marsala wine. You can also use sherry in place of the wine. It’s best to make all the ingredients a day or two in advance. Assemble the trifle the day you will eat it. Having the ingredients ready means, you can put the whole dessert together in about 30 minutes. The whipped cream should be made just before you plan to use it.

To make the custard: Creme Anglais ingredients, vanilla bean, split with seeds scraped, egg yolks and sugar beaten to thick ribbons,

adding the tempered yolks and sugar back into the warm cream. You will need a deep glass bowl. A trifle bowl is perfect for this, but you can certainly use a large glass salad bowl as well. Glass allows the layers to be seen. Start with a layer of pound cake. Sprinkle the cake with some of the Marsala and Amaretto.

You can portion it out, or just eyeball it. You’ll want to use about 1/3 for each layer. Layer the pound cake with some of the pear wedges and raspberries. Then pour about 1/3 of the custard over the fruit. Begin again with a layer of pound cake, more of the Marsala and Amaretto and fruit. Repeat layering. There should be three layers. Finish with a thin layer of whipped cream. I use this as a base before I pipe on the rosettes. Garnish with more raspberries, toasted slivered almonds and fresh mint.

Poached pear and raspberry trifle. Use a store-bought pound cake).

Creme Anglaise

Creme Anglaise is a classic French sauce that is used in many desserts. Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise • 2 cups heavy cream • 6 egg yolks • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Carefully scrap seeds. 2. In a saucepan over a medium heat, bring 2 cups heavy cream to a bare boil with vanilla bean and scraped seeds. 3. Remove cream from heat. While cream is cooling, beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a mixer, until thick ribbons form. 4. To temper the egg yolks, and keep them from curdling, gradually add 1 cup warm cream to egg mixture, whisking constantly. 5. Add tempered egg yolk mixture back into saucepan, with remaining cream and stir constantly over a medium heat, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 6. Remove from heat and strain through a fine strainer. Remove the vanilla pod. (I rinse it off and dry it, then add it to a bowl of sugar) 7. Cool custard slightly and then cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to use.

English Christmas Trifle

Poached Pear and Raspberry Trifle, adapted from Emeril Lagasse. Requires almond pound cake, (or store-bought), homemade Creme Anglaise, (or Bird's custard), poached pears, fresh raspberries, and homemade whipped cream. 5 from 32 votes

Ingredients

3 cups Creme Anglaise (or prepared Bird's custard) • 1 Prepared pound cake about 12 ounces, crusts trimmed • 1/3 cup Marsala wine, or sherry • 1/3 cup Amaretto • 4 pears poached and sliced into wedges. • 4 cups fresh or frozen and thawed raspberries • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar • 2 cups whipping cream • Fresh raspberries and mint leaves for decoration

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, 2 cups cream with the confectioner's sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside. 2. In a separate mixing bowl toss the berries with 2 tablespoons Marsala, stirring to bruise the berries slightly. 3. To assemble the trifle cut the cake into 1/2-inch-thick slices to fit tightly into the bottom of a trifle bowl (or a 1 1/2-quart decorative glass bowl), 4. Drizzle or sprinkle the cake layer with Marsala and Amaretto. Layer 1/3 of the pears and raspberries over the top of the cake, followed by 1/3 of the Creme Anglaise or custard. Repeat the process, layering the remaining ingredients.