Traditional Strawberry Trifle

 

I’m not going to lie… I watch way too much Master Chef. It’s totally a guilty pleasure, but with a purpose. I like to watch all the different techniques they use and technical skills they learn and then see if I can replicate what they’re doing.

 

 

Even when I was little, I enjoyed watching cooking shows. Julia Childs, Jacque Pepin, Lydia Bastianich, and so many more. I just enjoy watching how they do things and what tricks of the trade I can pick up.

 

This recipe was totally born from that interest. I had seen a competition where they made trifles. They looked DELICIOUS! My curiosity was peaked. I just had to figure out a good custard and jam. I already had a plan for the sponge.

 

You see, growing up we had a traditional birthday cake that we used for EVERY birthday. My mom always made the most amazing angel food cakes. As an adult, we have veered from that tradition, but I do still make angel food enough that I have full size pans as well as mini’s. It’s a post and recipe for another day. You can use the store-bought angel food cake as a sponge. It works well for this particular recipe.

 

 

This was a fun way to honor my grandmother, whom was English. She loved creams, and would love this recipe for sure. The one big difference is that I didn’t add the traditional sprinkles to the top. She would be looking for those.

 

 

Strawberry Trifle

 

 

Sponge:

Angel Food Cake (or other sponge)

*I used an 8-inch angel food cake for this recipe. If you like more sponge, you can use a larger angel food cake or another sponge such as lady fingers or pound cake.

*cut it into 1-inch squares for assembly

 

Strawberry Sauce:

1 ½ lb fresh strawberries

¾ c sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

 

Custard Filling:

1 ½ c whole milk

¼ c heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla (or vanilla bean paste)

6 large egg yolks

1/3 c sugar

3 Tbs +2tsp cornstarch

 

Whipped Cream and Topping:

1 c heavy cream

2 tsp powder sugar (more to desired sweetness)

½ lb strawberries

 

For the strawberries:

Cut them into quarters and place them in a saucepan along with the other ingredients. Bring them to a simmer and allow them to simmer and break down for 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning or sticking. Use a masher to break them down more if you prefer, or just keep the chunks of strawberry as they taste wonderful in the trifle. Allow it to cool while you work on the other elements.

 

For the Custard Filling:

Pour the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla (also a vanilla bean pod if you’d like) into a saucepan and warm to 170 degrees. Do not let it boil. Meanwhile, in a large measuring cup whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar for 2-3 minutes. The color should become pale when it’s ready. Add the cornstarch and whisk for another minute to combine.

Remove the vanilla bean from the milk mix if you used one. Slowly add about ½ cup of the warm milk to the egg mix and whisk so that eggs don’t cook. Repeat that process until about half of the milk mixture has been added. Return everything to the saucepan and turn the heat to medium-low. Warm the custard back up to 170 degrees, stirring frequently. It should only take a few minutes and it should be thick enough that if you run your spatula through the custard, it will leave a line. Remove it from the heat and put it through a sieve and back into the large measuring cup. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard to avoid a film developing and the refrigerate until you’re ready to use it; within 1-3 days.

 

For the Whipped Cream Topping:

Pour the heavy cream and sugar into a mixing bowl with the whip attachment. Slowly increase the speed so that it is very fast (about an 8 on my kitchenaid mixer). As it whips, you will notice it thickening and becoming stiffer. You want it whipped and creamy, but not so much that it begins to separate. Taste for sweetness and add sugar as needed.

Finally, slice the strawberries to be placed on top. You can get creative here with slices, fanning, diced, quarters, whatever you enjoy to make your trifle look beautiful.

 

Final Construction:

The idea with a trifle is to create layers. It ensures that when your guest is eating it, they will be able to get a little of everything in each bite. I start with a single layer cake squares. Pour 1/3 of the strawberry mixture on top of the cake. Then pour 1/3 of the custard filling on top of the strawberries. Repeat these steps two more times. After the 3^rd and final layer, place the whipped cream on top. Add your fancy strawberries to the top for a final touch. To make this feel really English, add some colorful sprinkles to the center of the top. Everyone will love this amazing dessert!