Layers of custard, sponge cake, jelly and cream: it seems trifle has all the components for an epic South African summer dessert. And yet, despite us viewing it as the quintessential dessert to round off a day of festive feasting, when we put it to the office, most of the Food24 team felt a bit “meh” about this classic. So, we asked the Food24 community: where do you stand when it comes to trifle? Is it a festive favourite that will never go out of style? Or do you reluctantly serve it up every year just for tradition’s sake? Here’s what you said.
Trifle is a must at Christmas, but the rules are changing
While the majority of you (65%) said yes to trifle on the Christmas lunch table, only 55% said they still prefer a traditional trifle. And we don’t blame you – with so many delicious trifles now available (both shopbought and homemade), why stick to the OG? We’re with the 45% who prefer a shake-up and here are some of our favourite variations:
- Sago pudding trifle
- Macaron-and-sparkling wine festive trifle
- Blueberry-and-lemon curd trifle
- Mini Milo trifles
- Berry, almond and Amarula trifle
ALSO READ: 12 beautiful trifle recipes to make this festive season
Psst: we see you – the person who said “I hate trifle”. Might it be because after that first scoop of trifle is dished, it all becomes a big mess? Despite that, 64% of you said you don’t need to take the first scoop, while 79% said they have to get all the layers and only 18% said they love trifle when it’s all mixed together. It seems there’s a sweet spot in there somewhere … like maybe if you get the second or third scoop?
How to make a unique trifle
We also asked you what makes your trifle unique. So if you’re looking for some top tips, read on!
- Use homemade custard as it’s thicker and therefore easier to keep the layers intact.
- Include a layer of lemon meringue yoghurt.
- Don’t forget the sherry and/or amaretto cherries! (For the record, only 47% believe a trifle should include booze.)
- Make the sponge cake yourself.
NOW READ: The anatomy of a trifle – what goes into this all-time classic dessert