The traditional trifle has been upgraded to this impressive loaf dessert. Each layer of cream, custard, jelly and cake is clearly visible, making it a colourful showstopper on any Christmas dinner table!
Don't forget to allow time for cooling and chilling!
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For the cream layer
- 2 platinum grade leaf gelatine sheets, we used Dr. Oetker
- 200 ml double cream
- 100 g cream cheese
- 50 g icing sugar
For the custard layer
- 2 platinum grade leaf gelatine sheets, we used Dr. Oetker
- 40 ml sweet/cream sherry
- 300 ml custard, either fresh chilled or tinned
For the jelly layer
- 2 platinum grade leaf gelatine sheets
- 200 g frozen raspberries
For the sponge layer
- 275 g bought madeira sponge
To decorate, optional
- Fresh raspberries
- Toasted flaked almonds
- Sugar sprinkles
- Step 1Lightly grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and line with a layer of clingfilm. Next place a strip of foil lengthways (shiny-side down) along the base and coming up at least 2.5cm (1in) over top of tin. Repeat with foil widthways, smoothing as much as you can. Lightly grease foil.
- Step 2For the cream layer, cover gelatine with cold water; soak for 5min. Heat cream in a pan until warm. Take off heat, lift gelatine out of water, squeeze out excess water and stir into cream to dissolve. Whisk in cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Pour into lined tin, then bang tin down on the surface a few times to burst any bubbles in the mixture. Cool and chill until set – about 1hr.
- Step 3Meanwhile make custard layer. Cover gelatine with cold water; soak for 5min. Gently heat sherry in a pan until warm. Take off heat, lift gelatine out of water, squeeze out excess water and stir into sherry to dissolve. Stir in custard and set aside at room temperature.
- Step 4When cream layer has set, pour on custard layer, chill until set about 1hr.
- Step 5Meanwhile make jelly layer. Cover gelatine with cold water; soak for 5min. Heat raspberries and 100ml (31/2fl oz) water in a small pan until raspberries are mushy. Lift gelatine out of water, squeeze out excess water and stir into raspberries to dissolve. Work well through a fine sieve into a jug (discard seeds). Set aside at room temperature.
- Step 6When the custard layer has set, pour on jelly layer. Chill until just set, about 40min. Cut brown edges off madeira and slice into 1cm (1/2in) thick slices. Gently press on to the jelly layer to stick, trimming slices to fit to make an even layer. Wrap tin in clingfilm and chill for at least 4hr (up to 24hr).
- Step 7To serve, invert on to a serving plate, gently peel off foil and clingfilm. Decorate with fresh raspberries, almonds and sugar sprinkles, if you like. Serve in slices.
Get ahead
Prepare to end of step 6 up to a day ahead. Chill.
Per serving
- Calories: 347
- Protein: 6g
- Total fat: 23g
- Saturates: 14g
- Carbs: 28g
- Total sugars: 21g
- Fibre: 1g
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The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
