My Aunt's Traditional Sherry Trifle- the perfect celebration dessert.
You might wonder why I'm suggesting a traditional English sherry trifle as a Thanksgiving dessert!
Well, back in the 1950s my aunt left England for the USA, and as a newlywed in a new country she was made very welcome by her neighbors. They invited her around for Thanksgiving, so she asked them if she could bring something. "Bring something from your home country" they said- so she made a sherry trifle and took that round.
Her new friends loved the sherry trifle, and she has made a sherry trifle for friends every Thanksgiving for over 50 years.
This is my aunt's recipe for sherry trifle, which I've adapted. There are lots of variations- you can be creative.
The great thing about a sherry trifle is the it is made in advance. You can use store cupboard items and avoid last minute shopping. It matures nicely if you leave it in the fridge for a few days.
Relax- its not an exact recipe, so you really can't go wrong.
In the UK we often serve sherry trifle on the day after Christmas, known as Boxing Day.Must have ingredients for Sherry Trifle
There are many variations to a sherry trifle recipe, but three items are essential.
If you are a purist you can make egg custard with 2 eggs, a pint of milk, vanilla sugar, and cook it all slowly in a bain marie.
For years however, all British cooks have used Birds Instant Custard Powder. This is still a favorite today. All you do is add cold milk, mix to a paste, then add warm milk and stir till it thickens and boils.
My own favorite for ease and taste is ready made tinned Ambrosia custard.
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For a sherry trifle you must have 3 basic ingredients.
You need custard, you need sponge...
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You can use a plain sponge cake, a madeira cake, home made ,or from a cake mix , or bought ready made.Or you can buy packets of trifle sponges.
A trifle is not a fussy dish- any sponge will be fine.
You need 3 basic ingredients for a sherry trifle
You need custard, you need sponge, and you need Sherry!
This painting is called "Sherry Sir?"
Sherry has been imported into Britain from Spain for centuries. Its comes from Jerez, but the Brits never were good at languages ,so we pronounced it "sherry". In Spain it is called "Vino de Jerez", and sherry drinking is taken seriously. You might have a fino, or dry sherry with tapas, moving on to a really raisin like Pedro Ximenez for dessert!
In Britain we mostly just call sherry dry, medium or sweet, rather than use the proper Spanish words.
In many British homes in the early 20th century, a bottle of sherry, usually sweet sherry, would be tucked away in a cupboard. It was brought out for social occasions, and was thought of as a very respectable drink. Even my teetotal grandma had a bottle for when the vicar came round !
Don't use a really dry sherry such as Tio Pepe for a sherry trifle- it won't taste good! You must use a sweet sherry, usually known as a "Cream" sherry. Some are dark brown, some are golden, it doesn't matter as long as it is sweet.
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Squidoo Thanksgiving Charity Cookoff
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The Official Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for Charity)
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The Recipe for Traditional Sherry Trifle
Here is the list of ingredients for making a great sherry trifle
All measures are approximateFor about 8 people- I use a large glass fruit bowl, which shows off the colours of the trifle.
1 or 2 pack of trifle sponges, or a plain sponge cake.
1 tin raspberries.
Raspberry jelly/conserve/jam
2 bananas
Orange juice
Sweet Sherry ( I like a dark cream sherry for this)
Handful flaked almonds
Handful Amaretto biscuits or ratafias.
1 tin custard ( or make your own if you want) You need about 1 pint.
Cream for whipping
How to make your sherry trifle
Method for making sherry trifle
Break the sponge into chunks and pile in serving bowl- they will reach to top of the bowl .Then pour on the juice from the rapsberries, sherry to taste ( I like 3 or 4 tablespoons) and some orange juice, to soften the sponge. It should all break down and be very moist but still firm.
Stir in the raspberries, sliced bananas, almonds and some roughly crushed amaretto biscuits.
Taste- if you need more sweetness stir in a tablespoonful of raspberry jelly or jam.
Firm the top, cover, and leave in the fridge for at least a day ( can be up to 3 days) to absorb the flavours.
On the morning of serving, ( you could even do this the day before) spread the room temperature custard over the top of the trifle , and return to the fridge to set.
Top with a layer of whipped cream.
To serve- make patterns on the cream with a fork, and decorate the top with amaretto biscuits, glace cherries, raspberries- whatever!
Enjoy!
Use a big , clear glass bowl to show off your sherry trifle
Luigi Bormioli Michelangelo Masterpiece 8-1/2-inch Trifle Bowl with Lid
Amazon Price: $26.98 (as of 12/08/2009)
This beautiful glass bowl will look great on the festive table.
Amaretti biscuits are great in sherry trifle
You can buy a much smaller size, but this size come in a delightful tin, that will grace your kitchen after the biscuits have gone.
These delicious almond biscuits are great for trifle, but also a real treat with coffee at the end of a meal.
Lazzaroni Amaretti di Saronno Cookies Cube Tin 16 oz.
Amazon Price: $27.99 (as of 12/08/2009)
This is the classic almons biscuits from Italy, in a beautiful tin. Almost worth buying for the tin alone!
Are you a trifle interested in trifle?
Do you think this could show up on a Thankgiving menu?
Would you serve it any other time?
Please let me know.
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Reply
- eccles1 eccles1 Nov 13, 2009 @ 1:04 pm
- All of your trifle recipies look good !! Happy Thanksgiving
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Reply
- hlkljgk hlkljgk Nov 11, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
- this looks like a great addition to our feast!
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Reply
- whitemoss whitemoss Nov 16, 2009 @ 3:07 am
- Thanks you all for your comments. Hope you enjoy it!
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Reply
- theraggededge theraggededge Nov 4, 2009 @ 5:19 pm
- You little tinker! I haven't had sherry trifle for years and now I really, really want some. Used to buy those M&S ones. Mmm mm! Lovely lens... it might just get added to Warming Winter Casseroles for desert.
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Reply
- WindyWinters WindyWinters Nov 4, 2009 @ 5:13 pm
- Delicious! Thanks for adding your aunt's recipe to:
A RocketMoms Thanksgiving Day Feast :)
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