Christmas Trifle Recipe

Good morning to you all.

Today I'm going to be sharing with you the recipe for the bestest 'over 18's only', Christmas trifle in the whole world.  

I say 'Christmas Trifle', but you can make it whenever the mood takes you, at any time of year.  It works for other celebrations too, not just Christmas.

The origins of this recipe can be found on a page I ripped out of an old copy of Good Food magazine.  In the original recipe, Drambuie is the tipple of choice.  However, I prefer to use Framboise in mine.  

Are you ready?

Then I'll begin.

You will need the following ingredients:

350g/12oz mixed berries - or you could just use one particular variety.  Fresh or frozen.  You'll be needing a few extra to decorate the top of your trifle too.
225g/8oz Madeira cake - thinly sliced.

5 tbsp Framboise (or Drambuie)
Grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
1 litre of double cream
4 eggs
85g/3oz golden caster sugar
A few drops of vanilla extract or essence
8 tbsp bramble jam 

1. Preheat oven to 160c (140c Fan).
2. Put the mixed berries in the bottom of large, deep, ovenproof dish, and press down on them lightly to release some of their juice.
3. Now cover the berries with the thin slices of Madeira cake.
4. Spoon over the Framboise and the orange juice.  Then leave to soak for 15 minutes.
5. After the cake has soaked up the booze and orange juice.  Cover the pieces of the cake pieces by spreading the bramble jam over the top.
6. Now whisk together 600ml of the double cream, with the eggs, golden caster sugar, orange zest and the vanilla extract.  Then pour the mixture over the top of the jam.
7. Sit the dish in a deep roasting tin with enough hot water to come at least 5cm up the sides of your trifle dish. Bake for 1 hour - or longer.  Cooking times will vary as to the height and width of the dish you've used. The custard mixture should be just set with a little wobble.  Don't try and rush your cooking time by cranking up the heat - the slower it cooks the better it'll turn out. When it's cooked, leave to cool, then cover with cling film and keep in the fridge overnight.

When you're ready to serve your delicious trifle:  Whip the remaining double cream, then spoon it over the top.  You can then decorate it by positioning a few choice berries here and there.

In the Good Food recipe they also scatter lightly toasted, crumbled shortbread and finish with a dusting of icing sugar.

I am not a lover of trifles, but this baby is the business and is one of the tastiest desserts I've had.  It won't be any good for your waistlines though ladies, that's why I only make it once a year, when you're allowed to indulge in all foods that are extremely bad for you.

It does sound a bit of a faff to make, but trust me, it's really simple.  

If you do give it a go, I'd love to hear what you thought of it.  It's become our Christmas Trifle and maybe it'll become yours too.

I can't show you any photos of one that I've made because I won't be making mine until a couple of days before Christmas Day.  I just didn't want to post the recipe when you wouldn't be able to nip to the shops for the ingredients if you did want to try making one for you and your family.

Here's what the Good Food one looked like, to give you an idea.

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