Conference turris::cooks

    
    Hi,
    
    Here's how we make Trifle over here (Ireland) - Im pretty sure its
    the same as the English version - only trouble is that we have
    ingredients that are not the same/available to you (in US), but here
    goes anyway:
    
    	The liqueur you mention is ALWAYS sherry in traditional trifle!

    
    Take one precooked (and cooled) sponge base - (my mum always uses
    shop bought Jam Sponges - i.e. 2 layers of sponge with jam between
    which she buys a few days before and lets go a little stale! most
    bakeries will sell "Trifle sponges" which are basically just sponge
    that they cooked and cutup into squares)

O   Cut the sponge into squares and line the bottom of your dish with
    it.  Stick it with a fork to make plenty of holes. Pour a good helping
    of Sherry (but not too much - just enough to give it a taste!) over
    the sponge.
    
    This is the tricky part - I know ye have a thing called JELLO which
    is not the same thing as our JELLY (Not to be confused with YOUR
    JELLY which we call JAM! - confused? Good!)  JELLY is the pudding
    (dessert) which Kids over here love with Icecream - its gelatin(ish)
    that comes in a packet divided in squares in all flavours which
    you cut up and put in a bowl and add a pint of boiling water (to
    melt the jelly).  (to eat as a dessert you allow to cool and it sets
    in the bowl chop it up in rough lumps and add to a dish of icecream!)  
    
O   Pour the jelly (made up with just 1/2 pint of boiling water this
    time!)over the sponge so that there is enough but doesn't
    come over the top of the sponge base.
    
O   Leave the sponge with jelly in the fridge to cool.  Unless you have
    loads of time its a good idea to do this part the night before or
    that a.m. 'cos the jelly has to have set on the sponge before you
    can add the layers of custard, fruit and cream.
    
    	(God Im really doing badly at this - I can make trifle with
    	 my eyes closed but describing it it HARD!)

O   Next, make up about a pint of custart - again we have 'instant'
    Vanilla custard here that comes in packs that you add milk to -
    make it up to as thick a consistancy as possible (but NOT lumpy!)
    
O   Allow the custart to cool A LITTLE.
    
O   Whip up a pint of dessert cream.
      
O   Take a large tin of peaches (my favourite!) or if you can get fresh
    strawberries or any fresh fruit and layer onto the top of the sponge.
    (Match/compliment the flavour of Jelly you use on the sponge with
    the type of fruit you use)
    
O   Next layer the custard (cooled a little - but not cold!) over the
    fruit until its covered.
    
O   Leave aside until the custard has cooled (it will 'set' slightly over
    the fruit when its cold which is what you want)
    
O  Just before serving add a HUGE layer of freshly whipped cream and
    sprinkly on top with tiny bits of chocolate or any of those bakers
    decorations that you can get et VOILA! Traditional  English Trifle!

    
    		(this is the traditional 'sunday lunch' dessert that
    is usually eaten after Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding!)
    
    	How'd I do??!!

It sounds delicious, but i'm still not exactly sure what to use for the jelly. 
This is how i would define jam, jelly, and jello in this country. Which one 
would be the best substitute for your 'jelly'?

JAM, CONSERVES,  FRUIT PRESERVES - a mixture made at home by boiling fresh 
      fruit pieces with sugar (and sometimes a thickener like pectin) until it 
      is very thick, and then canning it in jars. (I think that technically 
      there are differences between jam, conserve, and preserve but i dont 
      have a cook book in my office to tell me what they are. It might have to 
      do with the size of the fruit pieces and the amount of sugar). It is 
      made commercially but usually with a few more ingredients, most of them 
      unpronounceable. It is used on toast and in peanut butter sandwiches.

JELLY - Has similar uses to jam but instead of being made with fruit pieces, it 
        is made with fruit juice, boiled with sugar ( and sometimes a 
        thickener like pectin) until thick. It kind of has a similar appearance
        to a gelatin based mixture (until you actually start spreading it),
    	but is used on toast and peanut butter sandwiches, or for spreading on 
    	a thin layer of cake and rolling up into a "jelly roll", and is not 
    	eaten as a dessert by itself (not that I know of anyway).

JELLO -  a gelatin based dessert, usually a dry mixture of gelatin, sugar, and 
    	 artificial flavourings that comes in packages. It is prepared by 
     	 pouring boiling water over the dry mixture, mixing, and then cooling 
    	 until set. It sets firmly enough to be used in fancy molds. It is 
    	 generally used as a dessert by itself, or to make molded salads or 
    	 desserts.

    Use the JELLO, but only use about 2/3 the water called for. Cut
    it into 1 inch sqaures after it has set.
    
    An American who LOVES trifle (and Bird's Custard!)
    

    
    	The Jello option sounds best - I think we have it over here
    too, but as long as the flavour is not too strong (i.e. smothers
    the taste of everything else!) then it would be fine - our Jelly
    is more 'transparent' than Jello if you know what I mean and is
    not quite so strong in flavour, and when it sets it a LOT firmer
    than jello.  Someone in a previous note suggested using not as
    much hot water as recommended on the packet - would this make the
    flavour more concentrated?  I suggest using just enough to cover
    the sponge but make up with the full amount of water and just use
    whats left over on it own...
    
    RE: 'Birds' Custard - its a famous brandname of a very old established
    	english company -its the best 'instant' custart in the WORLD! 

    	do try the Trifle - its WELL WORTH it!

	For those willing to experiment, using unflavored gelatin might
	solve the problem.

	You could prepare the unflavored with any diluted, noncarbonated
	beverage and alter the amount of liquid to get the desired
	firmness.

	BTW, I have used unflavored gelatin to make Coffee Jello from
	perked coffee.  Serve with whipped cream.  This was one of my
	favorite *grown-up* desserts when I was a kid....

	Good Luck

	michele

    You people seem to have gotten off the track, so here's my Americanized
    recipe for trifle, I would encourage experimentation with these
    ingredients, I haven't made it exactly the same way twice.
    
    A box of pudding (chocolate, preferred). Don't use instant,
    it tastes terrible.  Use the kind you have to cook, and let it cool.
    
    Lots of whipped cream. (make it yourself, don't use the stuff you
    squirt out of pressurized cans).
    
    Fresh fruit (peaches, pears, bananas, blackberries, raspberries
    strawberries, whatever turns you on), cut up when appropriate. 
    In the winter I have to make do with canned and frozen fruits, but
    they still come out great.
    
    Sponge cake or pound cake sliced about 1 in. thick.
    
    Alcoholic beverage of choice (sherry, rum, flavored liquor, etc.) 
    
    Layer them in a trifle bowl:
      - cake
      - a little alcohol (to soak into the cake, not to excess)
      - handfuls of fruits
      - pudding
      - whipped cream

    repeat until you've filled the bowl. I usually get two sets of layers
    before the bowl begins overflowing.
    
    This is incredlbly delicious, rich and fattening.  If you bring it when
    you're invited to dinner, you'll always be invited back!    
    
    For those of you who don't know what a trifle bowl is, it's shaped
    something like this:
    
               |                 |
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                \ ______________/              
                      |  |
                     ======
    
    and you can find them in most china shops.  Here in the Boston area
    China Fair usually has them in stock.
                                                Enjoy!
                                                Bob
    

    KAHOULA TRIFLE CAKE
    
    INGREDIENTS
    
    1-DUNKIN HINES SWISS CHOC. CAKE MIX
    2-PKGS.INSTANT CHOC.PUDDING
    2-SMALL SIZE COOL WHIP
    6-HEALTG BARS FROZEN
    1/2 CUP KAHOULA
    

    1- BAKE CAKE COOL 2 HOURS [IN 2 PANS]
    2-IN LARGE GLASS BOWL PUT 1CAKE
    CUBED IN BOTTOM [1 TO 1 1/2CUBES] AFTER COOKED
    3-MIX CHOC.PUDDING
    4-1/4 CUP KAHOULA OVER CAKE [DROPS]
    5-1/2 PUDDING OVER CAKE
    6-1 COOL WHIP
    7-3 HEATH BARS CRUSHED ANDSPRINKLED OVER COOL WHIP
    [CRUSH WITH A HAMMER WHILE FROZEN
    
    
    ORDER OF CAKE GOES AS FOLLOWED
    
    CAKE
    KAHOULA
    PUDDING
    COOL WHIP
    3-HEATH BARS    [REPEAT ONCE MORE]
    
    
    TO MAKE LESS CALORIES USE LITE RECEPE ON CAKE MIX
    AND SUGAR FREE INSTANT PUDDING
    
    REAL GOOD ENJOY
    

Roxanne,

From your description, I think you are looking for a TRIFLE recipe...
The true English trifle recipe includes "tipsy" cake cubes (some
liquor is sprinkled over sponge cake - sherry I think), the cake
is layered with jam, fruit, and whipped cream if I remember correctly.
Many "Americanized" versions include a combination of vanilla pudding,
pound or sponge cake, jam or jelly, and fresh fruit...If this is what 
you are looking for, there are lots of variations, but here's one
I use during the summer when I don't feel like turning on the oven:

I go to my favorite bakery and have them bake me up two 9 inch round
pound cake layers, approx. 3 inches thick each.  I carefully hollow
out a recess in each pound cake layer, leaving 1 inch on the sides
and bottom.  Save the cake crumbs and cover the cakes carefully with
glad wrap to keep from going stale.
Make up a batch of instant vanilla pudding using half-and-half instead
of milk...or make up a batch of "cook and eat" vanilla pudding using
half-and-half instead of milk, pour into a bowl, cover the surface of
the pudding with saran wrap and chill thoroughly....use the small
size vanilla pudding - 2 cups half-and-half.
Set aside approx. 4 - 6 of the prettiest strawberries from a pint of
berries to be used as garnish.  Clean and slice the fresh strawberries,
sweeten with sugar to taste and store in the refrigerator for AT LEAST
1 hour to bring out the juice.  
Just before serving the dessert, melt some strawberry JELLY over a low flame
on the stove or in the microwave to get it to liquid state.  Brush the 
insides of the cake layers with the jelly to seal the cake.  Set aside to
"harden up". Divide the cooled pudding between the two cake layers, spreading
it evenly.  Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form, then add powdered sugar 
to taste while whipping to a stiff peak, sprinkling one tablespoon at a time 
over the whipped cream (while whipping) until the desired sweetness is reached.
I whip up 3 cups of heavy cream and then set aside approx. 1 cup of the
whipped cream as garnish. 
Stir the cake crumbs into the strawberries, allowing them to soak up
the juice.  Turn the strawberries/cake crumbs into the two cake layers,
making sure one layer is even so the second layer can be stacked on
top.  Smooth a generous portion of whipped cream over the top of the
even layer and place the second layer on top.  Cover the sides of the
cake with whipped cream and smooth the top of the cake with more
whipped cream.  Put the garnishing whipped cream into a pastry bag
and make whipped cream rosettes all over the top of the "cake" and
place the whole berries around the edge of the top of the cake.  Serve
to lots of "oohs and aahs" from your guests.  Store any leftovers in
the refrigerator - don't plan on them, though, I've never had any. 

I also bake my own pound cake layers when I feel like it, but my bakery
will provide the cake when I don't feel like baking.

    Bird's custard mix may be hard to find in your area, but it is worth
    the trouble if you want to make a good trifle!  There's a very easy
    recipe on the back of the box.
    I've had something similar to -1's recipe, although it was made with
    lady fingers instead of pound cake.  Delicious!
    If there are any requests, I'll post a recipe for a chocolate trifle...

    
                              MOCHA DESSERT
                              
    In large bowl (trifle, or smaller for less servings) layer:
    
    1/2 9X12 choc. cake
    1 cup kahlua
    1 cup choc pudding
    1 16 oz. cool whip
       
    one more time -
    then sprinkle with crushed heath bars, and refrigerate.
                   
    Serves 20 or so.
    

    2/3 cup sugar
    2 tbsp cornstarch
    1/8 tsp salt
    2 eggs, slightly beaten
    3 cups milk, scalded
    3 squares unsweetened chocolate
    3 tbsp almond liqueur (else 1/2 tsp almond extract)
    12 lady fingers, split
    1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
    1 can (16 oz.) apricot halves, drained

    Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in bowl.  Add eggs and mix well. 
    Gradually pour in hot milk, stirring constantly.  Return to
    saucepan.  Cook and stir over very low heat until mixture is smooth
    and thickened.  Remove from heat.  Add chocolate and liqueur; stir
    until chocolate is melted.  Cool slightly. 
    Arrange half of the ladyfingers, fruit and chocolate custard in
    layers in a serving dish; repeat layers with remaining ingredients.
    Chill at least 2 hours.  Before serving, garnish with sweetened whip
    cream*, pieces of chocolate and additional strawberries.  Makes 8-10
    servings.

    * try a bit of Grand Marnier or Cointreau and some sugar added to
    the heavy cream.

	Mom's ears MUST'VE been ringing, 'cause she called about 
	5 minutes after I put the previous note in. So, without
	further ado, here it is:



				English Trifle

	Ingredients:

	1 pkg yellow cake mix
	2 pkgs (16oz) frozen strawberries (NOT unsweetened)
	2-4pks vanilla pudding (ready-to-serve, like Swiss Miss)
	2 cups chilled whipping cream
	1/2 cup sugar
	1/4 cup toasted almonds
	whole strawberries (if desired - for garnish)

	Bake cake as directed in 13x9x2 pan. Let cool. Cut cake in 4
	quarters. Split 1/4 cake pieces in 1/2 (horizontally). Arrange
	in glass trifle bowl, cutting pieces to fit. Pour 1/2 pkg
	strawberries (with juice) over cake. Spread 2 pkgs pudding 
	over strawberries and repeat layers (should make 4 layers).
	Cover. Chill at least 8 hours. Can be made a couple days 
	in advance.

	When ready to serve, beat whipping cream, sugar until stiff.
	Spread over trifle. Sprinkle with almonds. Garnish with 
	strawberries (if desired).

				TROPICAL TRIFLE

	Ingredients:

	1 plain or coconut pound cake (make it from a mix or make it
	  from scratch)
	1 can pineapple chunks in syrup (the tall can, 11 oz. I think)
	5 kiwi fruits, peeled, sliced into thick slices
	1 large papaya peeled and cut into chunks (or canned papaya
		cut into chunks)
	1 pint strawberries, sliced into bowl with 4 tablespoons sugar
		and a small can strawberry nectar - refrigerated for 
		at least 3 hours.
	1 bag frozen dark sweet cherries (without juice or sugar - frozen
		individually) or 2 cans dark sweet cherries, drained well.

	2 small packages "cook and serve" coconut cream
		pudding - or vanilla pudding with 1/4 cup toasted coconut
		stirred in - cook pudding using half-and-half, cover with
		plastic wrap right on the surface of the pudding and chill
		well.
	1 cup toasted shredded coconut.  toast in 350 degree on cookie sheet
		until nicely browned.  Cool.

Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice.  Mix the juice with
the juice from the strawberries. 

Mix the drained fruits together.  Slice and cube the cake.  Lay 1/3 of the
cake in the trifle bowl.  Sprinkle liberally with the mixed fruit juices.
Add approx. 1/3 of the fruit, spread evenly over the cake.  Sprinkle with
1/3 of the toasted coconut Add 1/3 of the pudding, spread over the fruit.  .
Repeat layers until you use everything. finish with the pudding.

Store in the fridge until flavors meld.  Serve with sweetened whipped cream,
garnished with fruit and coconut if desired.  

Use any kind of "tropical fruit" that is desired or that is in season.

			Another Easy Trifle Recipe

I don't follow a recipe for this, so the quantities are rough.

1 large or 2 small pound cakes (Sara Lee or store brand) -- cut off any 
  'crust' (brown edges)
2 pkgs. instant vanilla pudding, made according to directions -- make each
   package as you need it cause you want to have it at pouring consistency
Large can sliced peaches, drained (you could use fresh peeled, sliced 
   peaches in season, but that's more work)
Jar raspberry sauce (more expensive, but better) or seedless jam (less 
   expensive)
2 cups whipped medium (whipping) or heavy cream
1/4 cup toasted almond slivers
Fresh whole strawberries or raspberries or kiwi slices, whatever looks good
Port or sherry -- optional

1. Cube or slice pound cake and put half in bottom of trifle bowl
2. Sprinkle port or sherry over cake -- optional
3. Arrange 1/2 peaches over cake
4. Cover peaches with raspberry sauce 
5. Cover with half of pudding (1 pkg.)
6. Repeat with remaining cake, peaches, sauce
7. Top with whipped cream
8. Arrange fruit on top of cream
9. Sprinkle with toasted almonds

Refrigerate.  You can make the cake, peaches, pudding, sauce part the night 
before, but don't top with the whipped cream until close to serving time.

    I made this recipe myself this year after having it a year ago at a
    party. I guess it has many names.  The person I got it from calls it
    "SEX IN A BOWL", since it is SINFULLY GOOD. Call it what you may.
    
    Here's how I did it ...
    
    Bake a chocolate cake. Crumble a layer in the bottom of a large bowl.
    Pour Chocolate Pudding on top of that.  Crunch up a few heath bars on
    top of the pudding, then a layer of Cool Whip.  Then Repeat these
    layers as many times as you wish.
    
    I used low sugar pudding made with skim milk.
    
    					Sue ...
    

From:	NITMOI::BELLER "28-Nov-1988 1358" 28-NOV-1988 13:56:29.36
To:	MARCIA
CC:	
Subj:	chocolate trifle recipe

					CHOCOLATE TRIFLE

	2 chocolate cake layers, split into four layers & trimmed to fit bowl
	1 lge cool whip
	1 pkg brickle  (available at Stop & Shop),
	    or 2-3 Heath bars crushed
	2 pkg chocolate pudding; substitute 1/2 c kahlua for part
	    of the milk  (Kahlua is optional.)

	In trifle bowl, arrange:  
	      pudding, cake, cool whip, brickle - 4 times


	(Four sets of layers requires a pretty high trifle bowl, so you
	 might get only three.)

I made this a few weeks ago for a get together, with some modifications ... I
am one of those folks that don't like heath bars....

I sprinkled Kahlua on the choc cake, used lite cool whip and sugar free 
pudding and for the crunchy stuff inside, used white chocolate chips and 
maraschino cherries.  Had folks in line for leftovers to take home

Just premeasure the amt of alcohol and slowly dribble over tops of cake which
has been cubed.  It won't cut up well if it is wet.  i think this falls into 
the "season to taste" category.

dana

SPECIAL STRAWBERRY TRIFLE
-------------------------

2 (10 1/4-oz.) loaves angel food cake
5 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 TBS strawberry schnapps or other strawberry-flavored liqueur, 
   divided
Custard (recipe follows)
1/2 cup strawberry preserves
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp. strawberry schnapps or other strawberry-flavored liqueur
Strawberry fans (optional)
1 TBS slivered almonds, toasted

Cut angel food cakes into cubes (about 8 cups).  Set aside.  Arrange enough
strawberry slices, cut side down, to line the lower edge of a 14-cup trifle
bowl.  Arrange half of cake cubes in bowl.  Sprinkle with 2 TBS schnapps.
Combine remaining strawberry slices and 2 TBS schnapps; let stand 30 minutes.
Drain strawberries, reserving 2 TBS liquid.  Top cake with half of strawberries.
Spoon 2 cups chilled custard over strawberries.  Top with remaining cake cubes;
sprinkle with remaining 2 TBS schnapps.  Spoon remaining strawberries over 
cake cubes.  Combine preserves and reserved strawberry liquid, stirring well; 
spread over layer of strawberries.  Spoon remaining custard over preserves.

Beat whipping cream until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until
soft peaks form.  Add 2 tsp. schnapps, and beat well; spread sweetened whipped
cream over trifle.  Garnish with strawberry fans and toasted almonds.  Yield:
14 servings.

Custard:

1 3/4 cups milk, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
2 cups half-and-half
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a large saucepan; stir well.  Add
remaining 1 1/4 cups milk and half-and-half.  Cook over medium heat until
mixture is thickened, stirring constantly.  Set aside.

Beat egg yolks and sugar at medium speed of an electric mixer until thickened.
Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot mixture into egg mixture; add to
remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly.  Cook over low heat, stirring
constantly, 1-2 minutes or until mixture thickens.  Remove from heat; stir in
vanilla.  Let custard cool to room temperature.  Cover and chill thoroughly.
Yield:  4 cups

Note:  Make strawberry fans by slicing from the narrow end of a strawberry to,
       but not through, the stem end and fanning the slices apart.

    Now for a REAL trifle recipe, but first of all let's get a couple of
    things straight.  1.  No jelly, jello, whatever side of the pond you're
    on.  2. Sherry.  A trifle isn't a trifle without it.  3. No instant
    custard.
    
    Sherry Trifle
    
    3 egg yolks
    600ml (1 pint) double cream
    25g (1 oz) caster sugar
    5g (1 tsp) cornflour
    5 trifle sponges (or sponge cake, slightly stale)
    400g (3/4 lb) raspberry jam (preferably mummy's home made)
    150ml (1/4 pint) sherry
    
    
    Break the sponge cake into pieces and cut horizontally to make slices
    about 1cm thick.  Lay a layer of these in the bottom of your bowl
    (about 8 inches diameter, 3 inches deep, cut crystal), and sprinkle
    with sherry.  Spread a layer of jam over them.  Repeat this process
    twice, ending with a jam layer.  If you have any sherry left, pour it
    in.  If not, put some more on 8^).  An alternative method is to put the
    jam and sherry in a pot, heat gently to melt jam, and pour over the
    sponges.  Put to one side for the moment.
    
    Now for the REAL custard.  Put the egg yolks, the sugar and the
    cornflour into a large bowl and blend together.  Gently warm half of
    the double cream, and pour onto the blended egg yolk mixture.  Stir
    well and return to the saucepan.  Keep stirring over a low heat until
    thickened.  Remove and allow to cool down until warm.  Pour the custard
    over the jammy sponges, and spread evenly.  This should now be put in
    the fridge to set, and can be left overnight.
    
    <time passes>
    
    Whip the remaining cream with sugar and vanilla essence to taste, and
    spread on top of the trifle.  This should be done just before starting
    the meal.  It can be garnished with flaked almonds, but this is
    optional.
    
    We normally make the base of the trifle the evening before, and put the
    cream on top just before eating.  It won't keep long, but then it has
    never had the chance.  Rich, alcoholic, fattening, scrumptious.
    
    Ian.

    Has anyone a receipe for Banana Foster Trifle?  I had this
    recently at the Charles Hotel Sunday Brunch and it was quite
    delicious.
    
    Thank you.
    

    
    
    I don't know if you have found one that you like yet! 
    Heres the one my mum makes.
    
    
    1 pkt Jelly or Jello. (depending on where you come from!!)
    1pkt Trifle sponges.
    Jam or Jelly (optional)
    1 1/2 pints custard (cooled)
    Fresh whipping cream.
    A good dash or two of sweet sherry or prefered liqueur.
    
    Put your trifle sponges in your dish. If using jam spread it on the
    sponges. Make up your Jelly/Jello adding the sherry as part of the
    mixture. Pour over the sponges and put in the fridge to set. In the
    meantime make the custard and leave to cool. When both are ready pour
    the custard on top of the set Jelly/Jello and spread it evenly over the
    top. Whip up the cream plonk that on top too and hey presto theres ya
    trifle.