Is it even Christmas without a trifle? Our ultimate version brings together a host of festive flavours, combining brandy-soaked fruit cake and cranberries in rosemary syrup with an eggnog custard and finished with pillowy orange cream.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Yields:
8 - 10
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Ingredients
For the cranberries:
500 g cranberries
175 g sugar
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tsp. cornflour
For the trifle:
1 sheet leaf gelatine
500 ml vanilla custard
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
500 g fruit sponge
125 ml brandy
300 ml double cream
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
Zest of 2 oranges
Gold leaf, optional
Directions
Step 1Put the cranberries in a pan with the sugar and heat over a gentle heat until the cranberries release their juices and the sugar dissolves. Add the rosemary sprigs and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 6–8min, until the cranberries are soft. Slake the cornflour with a little cold water and add to the pan, then simmer for 1–2min until the syrup thickens. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, removing the rosemary sprigs when the cranberries are completely cool.
Step 2Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5min, until soft. Meanwhile, put the vanilla custard and nutmeg in a pan and heat until steaming. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine and add to the custard, stirring until it’s fully dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Step 3Slice the sponge into chunky slices, then line the base of a trifle bowl. Drizzle over the brandy, then spoon over ¾ of the cranberries. Pour over the custard then transfer to the fridge to chill for around 2hr.
Step 4When ready to serve, whisk the double cream with the vanilla bean paste and orange zest to soft peaks. Dollop the double cream over the top of the custard, then spoon over the remaining cranberries. Decorate with gold leaf, if using.
GH Tip:
Use any sponge you like for the base layer; a ginger cake would work well with the flavours in this.
Per serving:
484cals
5g protein
24g fat (13g saturates)
55g carbs (45g total sugars)
Our favourite trifle recipes for when you want an easy showstopper dessert this Christmas Day
Sarah is Good Housekeeping's Kitchen and Homes Director, looking after all things food and homes for the brand. Sarah started her career in journalism, then retrained as a chef 15 years ago following a lifelong dream to work in food. Since retraining, she has worked as a private chef, assisted on tv commercials, created recipes for some of the country's leading brands and became the go-to birthday and wedding cake baker in her friends and family network. In 2025, she was shortlisted for Cookery Writer of the Year by the Guild of Food Writers
