Passed down between generations – the classic Kiwi trifle

Mum’s trifle

Mum will often whip up this dessert, not only for Christmas but also for a family get-together any time of the year. It’s a recipe my grandmother Jean has made for as long as Mum can remember, and it’s really good — maybe even better? — the next day for breakfast! As Mum would say, it’s the best hangover cure. I highly recommend making your own custard, but at a pinch you can use store-bought.

Serves 10

CUSTARD

1½ cups (375ml) full-fat milk

1 tsp vanilla extract, or 1 split vanilla pod

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp (95ml) cream

1½ Tbsp cornflour

3 egg yolks from free-range eggs

¼ cup (45g) caster sugar

TO ASSEMBLE

Store-bought sponge, enough for one layer (about 300–400g)

½ cup + 1 Tbsp (150ml) sweet sherry (optional)

2/3 cup (200g) raspberry jam

1x 410g can peaches in fruit juice, drained (keep juice if not using sherry)

1¼ cup (150g) frozen raspberries

1½ cups (375ml) cream

125g mascarpone

1/3 cup (50g) icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

sliced almonds, fresh raspberries, and edible flowers, to garnish

METHOD

1 Make the custard the day before serving. Pour the milk and vanilla into a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot.

2 In a heatproof bowl, whisk the cream, cornflour, egg yolks and sugar until combined. While still whisking, pour the hot milk over the mixture and continue whisking to combine.

3 Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat gently, stirring continuously, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

4 Remove from the heat and pour into a dish.

5 If using a vanilla pod, remove it, scrape the seeds from the pod and add the seeds to the custard.

6 Cover with cling wrap so that it touches the top of the custard; this prevents a skin forming on the top.

7 When cool, place in the fridge and chill overnight.

8 The day before serving, start assembling your trifle. Using the best crystal bowl you can find, break up pieces of the sponge cake to cover the bottom of the bowl.

9 If using sherry, drizzle it over the top of the sponge. If not, use the juice from the can of peaches instead.

10 Spread the jam over the top of the sponge, making sure it goes right to the edges so that you can see some of the jam when looking through the side of the bowl.

11 Cut the drained peaches in half and place on top of the jam.

12 Sprinkle the raspberries over the peaches, pushing some out to the edge of the bowl.

13 Cover and chill in the fridge.

14 On the day of serving, dollop the chilled custard over the top of the fruit and smooth out with the back of a spoon until flat

15 In a bowl, beat the cream, mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla till soft and pillowy — but don’t over-whip it! Spoon on top of the trifle.

16 Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan until they start to turn golden.

17 Tip onto a plate to cool. Sprinkle the fresh raspberries and toasted almonds over the top of the trifle and decorate with edible flowers.

18 Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. It will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.