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Christmas Trifle!

By Nagi Maehashi
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This trifle will look smashing on your Christmas table!!! Layers of custard and jelly, studded with cake and piled high with cream and fruit, it looks stunning in a trifle dish but otherwise just use a glass bowl!

TOP TIP: you can buy the cake and custard ready made (though my recipe uses homemade). But I really recommend making the jelly yourself. It’s such a major component in trifle, it’s easy, and the difference between artificially flavoured packet jelly and real fruit jelly is phenomenal!

Layers of Cranberry Jelly and custard, and piled high with whipped cream and fruit, this Christmas Trifle will brighten any table! recipetineats.com

Christmas Trifle

The first time I made trifle, I used raspberry flavoured Aeroplane jelly and store bought custard. It looked so fabulous, I was beaming with pride. Blinded by the beauty of the trifle, I completely forgot the first rule of cooking – it doesn’t matter how pretty it looks or how good the photos are if it tastes meh.

One big bite, and I wrinkled my nose with distaste. The jelly flavour was just so incredibly artificial, it was really off-putting because its artificial-ness is such a stark contrast to all the other flavours going on in the trifle.

Now before you go thinking I’m some kind of food snob, let me just say this – I actually don’t mind Aeroplane jelly on it’s own, there’s something sentimental about it. And I thoroughly encourage you to use store bought custard if you are pressed for time (though homemade is really sooooo good!).

BUT PLEASE DO NOT USE FLAVOURED AEROPLANE JELLY IN THIS TRIFLE!!!!

I promise you, it is so crazy simple to make real juice flavoured jelly! All you have to do is use gelatine which is very cheap and easy to use!

Gelatine Powder

NOTE: I used to use flavourless Aeroplane Jelly for the jelly (click here for the original recipe). It’s no longer available, so the recipe uses plain gelatine instead which was preciously an alternative in the notes. Video not yet refilmed. Will do so next year!

For those of you wondering about the difference: Flavourless Aeroplane Jelly was sweet so the recipe called for unsweetened cranberry juice. Gelatine powder is unsweetened so we need to use sweetened cranberry juice.

How to make Christmas Trifle recipetineats.com

I think the reason why it makes such a difference to use real Cranberry Juice for the jelly instead of flavoured Aeroplane Jelly is because there is so much of it in the trifle. Also, the jelly is slightly more concentrated in flavour than when you make it per the packet directions because the liquid to crystals ratio is lower, to ensure the jelly is firm enough to withstand the weight of everything piled on top of it.

Other than that, I have no other trifle rules. In fact, I’m pretty relaxed about everything else. Use whatever cake you want for the base – store bought or homemade madeira, Pound Cake or Vanilla Cake, even Christmas cake. Use homemade or store bought custard. Use any fruit you want – even canned is fine. I’d even say it’s pretty ok to use whipped cream out of a spray can over using flavoured Aeroplane jelly!!!

Layers of Cranberry Jelly and custard, and piled high with whipped cream and fruit, this Christmas Trifle will brighten any table! recipetineats.com
Layers of Cranberry Jelly and custard, and piled high with whipped cream and fruit, this Christmas Trifle will brighten any table! recipetineats.com

If you want quite neat layers, like depicted, please do follow the recipe carefully for each layer. In my trifle making life, there have been some not-so-pretty trifle efforts (albeit tasty!). Mainly bleeding between the layers, and jelly that set too much before ladling onto the custard, so it looked broken and split, rather than a clear jelly to show off the fruit in that layer.

If you’re catering for a large group this Christmas and/or you want a dessert you can make days in advance, this Christmas Trifle is ideal! Just assemble the layers then refrigerate. The only thing you’ll need to do on the day is whip the cream and pile on the fruit.

Then stand back and admire your handiwork. Beam with pride at how gorgeous your trifle looks. Enjoy that moment, because as soon as people start digging in, it will look like a complete and utter wreck. A delicious wreck. 😂 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Christmas Trifle

Christmas Trifle

Author: Nagi
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Refrigeration time (total): 7 hours
Total: 1 hour 26 minutes
Christmas, Dessert
British, Western
4.90 from 58 votes
Servings10 – 14 people
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe VIDEO above. The one thing that will elevate your Trifle from "ok" to PHENOMENAL is making jelly with real cranberry juice instead of using artifical flavoured jelly. It's no different to making instant jelly – it's just that you use fruit juice and gelatine instead of flavoured jelly crystals!
Make real jelly, then you can totally get away with using store bought shortcuts for everything else – like the custard and cake.
NOTE: I used to use flavourless Aeroplane Jelly for the jelly (click here for the original recipe). It's no longer available, so the recipe uses plain gelatine instead which was previously an alternative in the notes. Video not yet refilmed. Will do so next year!
START THIS recipe the day before as it needs time to set in the fridge.

Ingredients

  • 1 x 450g / 14 oz Madeira cake or Pound cake store bought (Note 1)
  • 1/3 cup orange or other fruit flavoured liquor (like Cointreau), or apple, orange or other fruit juice (or 2 tbsp brandy)
  • 7 tsp gelatine powder (Note 2)
  • 6 cups Cranberry juice, original (ie WITH sugar added, not No Added Sugar, Note 2)
  • 500 – 750g (1 – 1.5 lb) strawberries , halved
  • 1 each punnet blueberries, raspberries

Cream:

  • 2 1/2 cups heavy / thickened cream (or pure whipping cream)
  • 3 tbsp white sugar (caster sugar ok)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Homemade Thick Custard (or 900g 1 tub Pauls Double Thick Vanilla Custard, Note 3):

  • 3 cups milk (full or low fat)
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract) (Note 4)
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar), extra
  • 4 egg yolks (Note 7 for using leftover whites)
  • 1/2 cup cornflour / cornstarch

Instructions

  • Cut cake into 2 cm / 0.8" cubes. Cover bottom of 3.5 L / 3.5 qt trifle dish with cake (might not use all) and sprinkle with liquor or juice. 
  • Optional extra: Scatter over 1/2 to 1 punnet halved strawberries (this is not in ingredients list).

Cranberry Jelly:

  • Heat half juice – Put half the cranberry juice into a saucepan over medium heat (3 cups / 750ml). Bring to a simmer, then turn off stove.
  • Dissolve geatline – Meanwhile, put remaining room temperature cranberry juice into a very large bowl. Sprinkle gelatine all across surface (don't dump in one place, else you get lumps). Whisk until mostly dissolved (will finish dissolving in next step).
  • Pour in hot cranberry juice. Whisk until gelatin is fully dissolved.

Jelly Layer 1:

  • Pour HALF the warm jelly liquid carefully down the side of the trifle dish so the cake pieces are submerged. Refrigerate the trifle dish uncovered for 1 1/2 hours until it is partly set. It needs to be set enough so you can gently place a strawberry on it and it will stay on the surface. Proceed to Custard Layer steps.
  • Pour remaining warm jelly in a bowl and leave on the counter. DO NOT refrigerate.
  • Meanwhile, make the custard so it is ready to use (see below for how to make).

Custard Layer:

  • Remove trifle from fridge. Whisk the room temperature custard to loosen. Spoon onto the jelly, smooth surface, press against wall of glass to seal (stops jelly bleed so you get neat layers). Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour until the surface has firmed up a bit – just enough to hold the jelly (jelly is soft, so custard doesn't need to be fully set). 

Partially set remaining jelly

  • Give the remaining jelly a good whisk then put it in the fridge at the same time to thicken a bit but not fully set. Refrigerate for 1 hour, but check at 30 minutes to ensure it isn't setting too fast. The jelly should be sloppy but spoonable, scoops up in a small mound. If it fully sets, you'll end up with a "broken glass" effect on the next jelly layer rather than a clear layer (read Note 5).

Jelly Layer 2:

  • Remove trifle and jelly from fridge. Jelly should be sloppy. Carefully spoon over jelly, smooth surface. Scatter over 1 punnet halved strawberries (or half each raspberries and strawberries). Refrigerate for 3 hours+ (can leave in fridge for 48 hours, until ready to assemble).

Assembling:

  • Cream: Beat cream, sugar and vanilla until softly whipped.
  • Once jelly is set, just before serving, top with cream, then pile over remaining berries. Dust with icing sugar. 
  • Serve!! PS It is imperative to ensure every servings includes a bit of every layer in the trifle 😂

Homemade Custard:

  • Bring milk, ¼ cup sugar and vanilla to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not boil.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together remaining ¼ cup sugar and yolks, then whisk in cornflour until smooth.
  • While whisking, carefully pour in about ½ cup of milk mixture. Once mixed in, slowly pour in remaining milk while whisking. Once incorporated and smooth, pour back into saucepan.
  • Return saucepan to stove over low heat. Whisk constantly until it becomes thick and custardy – this will happen quite quickly, about 45 seconds (ie it is liquidy when you start, then suddenly it thickens). Once thickened, remove immediately from heat (it will continue to thicken as it cools).
  • Immediately pour into a bowl and cover with cling wrap, pressing onto surface. Leave on the counter to cool to room temp until trifle is ready to layer with custard. Makes 750ml. (Note 5)

Recipe Notes:

1. CAKE: Any cake will work fine with this. Pound and Madeira are ideal and readily available at supermarkets. Homemade Vanilla Cake will also work a treat. Christmas Cake is also great but it’s a dark brown colour.
2. JELLY: Note this recipe used to be made with flavourless Aeroplane jelly (click here for the original recipe) but that is no longer available (as of 2020). Video is to be updated. Recipe always provided a plain gelatine option in the notes as an alternative so now that has become the base recipe.
Gelatine powder: I use McKenzie’s sold in the baking aisle, US: 3 x 7g sachets Knox plain gelatin, UK: 2 x 12g sachets Dr Oetker (close enough to 21g)
Cranberry juice – you MUST use Cranberry Juice with sugar added, such as Ocean Spray brand called Cranberry Classic here in Australia. Otherwise your jelly won’t be sweet at all (Cranberries are sour). Cranberry Juice is sold in the aisles.
Got the wrong juice? No worries! Just dissolve 1/2 cup white sugar into the cranberry juice heated up on the stove to make it sweet.
No artificial jelly! You’ll find many trifle versions made using raspberry and strawberry flavoured Aeroplane jelly. I find them too artificial – especially because there’s so much jelly in this dish! I really think it’s worth the small effort of making a jelly made using real Cranberry Juice, the flavour difference is astonishing, it’s real.
3. STORE BOUGHT CUSTARD: I would use store bought custard over flavoured Aeroplane Jelly, to save time. Add a dash of vanilla to freshen it up. Make sure you get DOUBLE THICK Custard (Pauls is good, Woolies, Coles etc in fridge section).
4. VANILLA BEAN PASTE has little black specks in it, like when you use an actual vanilla bean. It’s optional, you can just use normal vanilla!
5. Neat jelly layers – the first layer of jelly is poured over while liquid and will set with a flat surface and clear. The 2nd layer of jelly on the custard has to be spooned on. You can’t pour liquid jelly over custard as it breaks the custard surface no matter how gently you pour it , and the liquid jelly also seeps into the custard which cases untidy bleeding.
On the other hand, if you let the 2nd layer of jelly set then carefully spoon it on, you end up with untidy broken bits of jelly in the layer, rather than being clear.
Solution? Let the jelly only partially set, so it’s still sloppy but enough to spoon it on. It’s firm enough to create a neat layer on the custard (no bleeding) and once fully set, it’s crystal clear (rather than broken and bubbly).
6. CUSTARD: You want the custard mostly cooled but not set. When slightly cooled, it is like soft whipped cream so you can spoon it on the trifle and it spreads smoothly. If it cools too much and sets, just use an egg beater and beat until smooth. Once refrigerated in the trifle, it thickens even more – it’s not like a firm set custard that’s cut-able into clean pieces (like firm tofu), it is softer than that, it’s more like silken tofu ie. you can cut it cleanly but it’s wobbly and soft.
7. Leftover egg whites – Here’s my list of what I do with them and all my egg white recipes can be found in this recipe collection.
8. Source – I feel bad providing the recipe reference because I had issues with it, but I must because it is where the original idea came from and the end result looks so similar. I made this trifle recipe from Taste.com.au as written, I had problems with untidy layers / bleeding and I really did not enjoy the flavour of the artificial jelly. I also found the trifle didn’t fill a standard trifle dish enough. So I used this recipe as a reference point, but reconstructed it pretty much from scratch.
Keywords: Christmas dessert, christmas trifle, trifle
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Life of Dozer

Dear Santa,

All I want for Christmas is for this Trifle to fall off the table.

Love, Dozer 🐾

Dozer Christmas Trifle

Santa won’t be making good on that wish, but while he was sleeping, Santa accidentally flung some custard on his face and he didn’t even stir….

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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289 Comments

  1. Albert Bevia says

    The presentataion of this is absoluetely stunning! This is the perfect center piece to any table. I gotta say, Dozer is so adorable!!!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Thanks Albert!!! N xx

      Reply

  2. Josephine B says

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi,
    I’d just like to thank you for all your work on your wonderful recipes that you’ve shared with us throughout this year.
    Wishing you a safe, healthy and MERRY CHRISTMAS and that you have a WONDERFUL New Year with more recipes to share.
    You’ve outshone yourself once again with this Christmas Trifle as I’ll be having that on out Christmas table as well.

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      You’re so welcome Josephine! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO!! N xx

      Reply

  3. Terri says

    Can I use Swiss jam roll for trifle

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      YES! Slice it and line the base so you can see the pretty swirls!

      Reply

  4. Evelyn says

    Dear Nagi and Dozer
    Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and will look forward to your future recipes.
    I’m the lady who “accosted” you at the Mall the other week, I hope I didn’t embarrass you (or myself!!) too much.
    However, I think it’s important to give someone a pat on the back when it’s well deserved. So big pat on the back for all of your efforts.

    PS For Dozer’s sake hope a bit of the trifle falls off the table

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      And I’m so glad you did!!! As flustered and red faced as I was 😂 No encouraging Dozer to head butt the trifle off the table!!! Merry Christmas to you too Evelyn, I’m so glad you wrote in! N xx

      Reply

  5. Eha says

    5 stars
    Dear Dozer

    If you move your head a little to your right, your wish just might come true – but that would not be fair to Mommy, now would it? Be a good boy: I’ll see the reindeer stop at your place! Promise!

    Santa

    The warmest and merriest of Christmases to you and Yumiko and Dozer and all the friends and relatives . . . and, definitely, Greg 🙂 !!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Ahem! Are you encouraging him to head butt the trifle off the table???!!

      Reply

      • Eha says

        , , , , , well, I did say that would be a possibility, it kind’of looked as if it would work, but then Santa just might forget his address and there might not be any doggie treats under the tree . . . .

        Reply

  6. LIsa says

    Merry Christmas to you both – and thank you for sharing your love of food and Dozer with is. All the happies to your and your wonderful Mother and the rest of your family as well – and maybe some Christmas Schmackos for Dozer. 🙂

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Hmm…. I think Dozer will be getting a treat or two for Christmas! 😂

      Reply

  7. MANDY LODGE says

    Hi Nagi, I subscribe to your email and website from England UK & some times I have to convert to what we have over here :)))!! Can I use just normal jelly cubes in this recipe?
    Thank you so much for your fabbytastic recipes, there a massive hit in my family.
    Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you, Dozer (who’s just adorable! 😄) and your family!
    Kind regards Mandy xx

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      PS I just updated Note 5 with UK directions re: Dr Oetker gelatin 🙂

      Reply

    • Nagi says

      Hi Mandy! I’m so pleased you are enjoying my recipes, thank you! Do you mean Hartley’s? The flavoured jelly? If so, I’d really urge you to consider making the jelly using real cranberry juice instead of flavoured jelly, I promise you won’t regret it!! You just need 21 g of gelatine, I see there is Dr Oetker gelatin sachets sold at Sainsbury’s. They are 12g in each sachet, so 2 sachets = 24g which is close enough! https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/jelly—gelatin/dr-oetker-gelatine-sachet-36g

      Reply

  8. Elle says

    5 stars
    Yummmm! I had no idea Aeroplane did a flavourless jelly. Oh Dozer is so cute. Just noticed his crinkled ear hair (sorry if that’s weird, but I notice these things, I love dogs esp Goldies and Labs) – SO ADORABLE! Merry Christmas Nagi and Dozer x

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      It’s not weird at all! Can you believe people ask me if I CRIMP HIS EARS???!!! I mean, I know I’m a crazy dog lady, but that’s going way too far!! 😂

      Reply

  9. Martyn says

    5 stars
    Dear Nagi thank you for all the wonderful recipes you have posted this year with such great detail.
    I would like to Wish you a very Merry Christmas, and the happy New Year. from the UK.

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Merry Christmas to you too Martyn! I’m so pleased you have been enjoying my recipes! N x

      Reply

  10. Valerie Justus-Rusconi says

    Hi Nagi! I have never heard of Aeroplane Jelly either..looked it up and it appears to be like America’s Jell-o brand, but they do not make one that is unflavored. Knox Gelatin is the only unflavored one I know. I look forward to trying this!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      HI Valerie! Yep that’s exactly right and I have Knox directions in the notes, I went to their site and converted to my recipe!

      Reply

  11. Vera G says

    5 stars
    Love, love the layers, colours, will have custard and berrysberrys please. Am mad about custard . Nagi just to say many Thanks for your time and effort ENJOYED EVERY BIT OF AT.!! IWOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORUNITY TO WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS UND HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Enjoy Your holidays! Stay safe and stay Healthy!! Keep Dozer cool.

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Thank you Vera!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO!! N xx

      Reply

  12. Diana Fischer says

    5 stars
    Dear Nagi and Dozer,
    Wishing you both a very Merry and Festive Christmas, and the happiest of New Years.
    I’m a big Dozer fan, and love the pictures, with comments, that you post of him.
    Of course I love your recipes as well.
    Thank you, and looking forward to next years mouth watering treats.
    Diana

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Merry Christmas to you too Diana! I’m so pleased you are enjoying my recipes and DOZER!!! 😂

      Reply

  13. Susan says

    Reading your posts can be a real education! I have never heard of Aeroplane Jelly before – judging by the box and your recipe in the notes that uses gelatin, I’m guessing that it’s the Aussie version of our Jello, which is really gelatin rather than what I know as jelly. For me, jelly is made with fruit juice, from cooking down real fruit, adding pectin, and then boiling hard until it jells.

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      You do it the real REAL deal way!!!

      Reply

  14. Mary Tognazzini says

    Merry Christmas to you both. I have enjoyed the past year of your e-mails and your pictures of you and Dozer, I have trid many of your recipes, yum.Thank you

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Thanks for your lovely message Mary! Merry Christmas to you too, I am so pleased you are enjoying my recipes! N xx

      Reply

    • Nagi says

      Me too!!! Can I tell you – it was SO hard making this weeks before Christmas, I just wanted Christmas to be NOW!!😂

      Reply