Of course you can make this trifle as complicated as you want it to be. One variation would be to make all the parts from scratch and adding exotic ingredients. I do have some suggested modifications in the ingredient list below. But the theme of this particular recipe is EASY!
Ingredients:
Store Bought Muffins – Or make your own. Whatever flavor floats your boat. I have also made this with left over gluten free pumpkin bread. Any cake type will do, just not overly sweet ones since this is a very rich dessert as is.
Good Quality Pudding – I used 1 Box Godiva Pudding Mix, available at most grocery stores. Plus 2 cups milk, to mix.
Whipped Cream – I used 1 pint Organic whipping cream mixed with 1 tsp. vanilla (can use more if desired) and 1 tbsp. maple syrup. Can substitute maple syrup with powdered sugar. Sweeten according to whatever puts a bounce in your step. I don’t like my whipped cream too sweet. I would not recommend ready whip because it might not be dense enough to hold it’s layer.
Fresh Fruit for Topping – I used raspberries. But any berry or cut up fresh fruit will do. Whatever fits your fancy
Method:
I used 1 box white chocolate pudding mix, but any flavor will do. Just try to compliment the muffin/ cake you use. Contrasting colors will define the layers better.
Mix with milk, 2% fat is the minimum fat content required for this pudding mix to set.
Stir pudding mix and milk until all the powder dissolves. Takes about 5 min. for pudding to thicken.
Cover mixed pudding and refrigerate while you prepare the other ingriedients
Get ingredients ready for whipped cream. You can substitute powdered sugar or any other powder or liquid sweetener for the maple syrup.
Easy way to chill mixing bowl quickly to prep for whipping, is to swirl around ice and water in the bowl, in lieu of refrigerating bowl which will take longer for bowl to cool. And it would take major re-arranging in my fridge to fit this mixing bowl. Chilling the bowl makes the cream whip better.
Dump the ice water and wipe bowl dry.
Fit whisk attachment to stand or handheld mixer. Pour 1 pint whipping cream into chilled bowl.
Turn mixer on to medium speed.
Add 1 tsp vanilla ( or more if that’s what your little heart desires).
Add maple syrup or whatever sweetener you are using.
Whip till peaks are medium to stiff.
Cut up store bought or homemade muffins/cake into approx 1 in cubes. I used chocolate, but any flavor will do. Try to have contrasting colors with your pudding so the layers are more defined.
Wash and prepare your fresh fruit topping.
Trifle mise en place. A trifle bowl generally comes with an attached stand. I lost mine many moves ago. Any glass bowl with straight sides will do. I like this glass canister because the lid makes transporting and storing easier.
My trifle only has 4 major ingredients. However you can add whatever you want or is handy in your pantry. Candied nuts or other colored fruits would make pretty layers.
First layer is the cut up muffin or cake.
Second layer is the pudding. Plop it in the center of the bowl and carefully spread to the edges. Try not to get the sides of the bowl smudgy.
Next up, the whipped cream.
This is what the first set of layers should generally look like.
Repeat the layers until you almost to the top. My bowl could only accommodate 2 sets of layers.
Add fresh fruit as your top layer.
Voila!
So pretty! And yummy! I have found this to be ok refrigerated for a couple of days, if it lasts that long! Some trifles that have more moist ingredients added will need to be consumed quicker, otherwise it becomes a soggy mess.
Ready for delivery!
A variation would be to use individual glasses.
My girls had their friends over for a trifle making party. They each created their own trifle.
