Skip to main content
Epicurious

Trifle

By James Beard

4.4

(2)

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

Lady fingers, stale Génoise or sponge cake
1 cupOloroso sherry
8 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups rich milk
1/2 cup sugar
Whipped cream, candied cherries, angelica peel, chopped pistachio nuts

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Line a decorative serving dish with the lady fingers or cake and pour over them the sherry. The cake should be moistened but not soaked. Add more sherry if necessary. Chill in the refrigerator.

    Step 2

    Make a pastry cream by blending the egg yolks, milk, and sugar and cooking in the top of a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, stirring constantly. As soon as the mixture begins to thicken and slightly coats the spoon, pour into a bowl to cool. Do not overcook or it will curdle. Pour the cooled pastry cream over the cake and refrigerate until firm. To serve, cover top with a layer of whipped cream and decorate with cherries, peel, and nuts. Serve well chilled.

    Step 3

    If you prefer a less rich pastry cream, blend 3 egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons flour, and 2 teaspoons corn starch. Put in the top of a double boiler over hot water and add 1 cup light cream. Stir and cook until the pastry cream is thickened.

TagsDessertSherryAlcoholBeveragesEnglishBritishEuropeanVegetarianMeal PrepEasySimmer
Read More
Île Flottante
Originally called omelette à la neige (snow omelet) in reference to the fluffy snow-like appearance of the meringue, île flottante (floating island) has a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century.
Grape Dumplings
Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.
Sour Cherry and Campari Galette
This Campari-spiked galette features the herbal aperitif, tart cherries, and floral citrus zest and is perfect for those who prefer bitter to sweet.
Mississippi Mud Cake
This cake was created from thrift and was supposedly named after its appearance, which reminded people of the muddy Mississippi River bottom.
Palets Bretons
Palets bretons are oversize cookies that feature butter, and because they’re from Brittany, they’re traditionally made with beurre salé, salted butter.
5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
Yes, it's a shortcut in a microwave. It's also a gooey, fudgy, wildly good chocolate cake.
Almost Cannoli Galettes
Cannoli and sfogliatelle require complex technique—making them is best left to the professionals. But a galette-inspired variation? That’s a snap to do at home.
Sofrito Bolognese
An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.