Sherry trifle recipe
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a generous, post-dinner helping of sherry trifle. This decadent recipe was created by JR Ryall, head chef at hotel and restaurant Ballymaloe House, attached to the legendary cookery school in County Cork, Ireland.
It's a real crowd-pleaser, and making each element from scratch is sure to impress guests. If you want to make a quicker version, however, you can also use shop-bought sponge cake, candied angelica and thick custard, and pick up the recipe in the last section below.
Chef JR says: "Sherry trifle is a staple dessert on the Ballymaloe sweet trolley in December. It is one of the most popular dishes we serve around Christmas and throughout the holiday season. This traditional version is generous with sherry and the dish benefits from every drop!"
However you choose to make your showstopper, be sure to serve it in a glass bowl to display all of those lovely layers.
"I like to assemble the trifle in a glass bowl so the eye-catching layers of boozy raspberry sponge, light custard and soft cream can be admired," adds JR. "The shape and the volume of the trifle bowl is important – if the bowl is too deep, it will be tricky to serve the trifle; if the bowl is too shallow, the trifle won’t have the same impact."
Please note: You will need to leave your trifle to set overnight before adding your toppings. If you choose to make your candied angelica from scratch, you'll need to prepare it a couple of days in advance of assembling your trifle.
Ingredients
- 225 g fresh angelica stems, leaves removed and cut into 10 cm/4 inch lengths
- 450 g caster (superfine) sugar, plus extra to serve (optional)
- 7.9 oz fresh angelica stems, leaves removed and cut into 10 cm/4 inch lengths
- 15.9 oz caster (superfine) sugar, plus extra to serve (optional)
- 7.9 oz fresh angelica stems, leaves removed and cut into 10 cm/4 inch lengths
- 15.9 oz caster (superfine) sugar, plus extra to serve (optional)
- 1 knob of melted butter, for greasing
- 3 large (US extra-large) eggs, separated
- 225 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 80 ml water
- 140 g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 1 knob of melted butter, for greasing
- 3 large (US extra-large) eggs, separated
- 7.9 oz caster (superfine) sugar
- 2.8 fl oz water
- 4.9 oz plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 1 knob of melted butter, for greasing
- 3 large (US extra-large) eggs, separated
- 7.9 oz caster (superfine) sugar
- 0.3 cup water
- 4.9 oz plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 450 ml milk
- 1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
- 6 large (US extra-large) egg yolks
- 110 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 35 g plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
- 1 pinch of salt
- 15.8 fl oz milk
- 1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
- 6 large (US extra-large) egg yolks
- 3.9 oz caster (superfine) sugar
- 1.2 oz plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1.9 cups milk
- 1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
- 6 large (US extra-large) egg yolks
- 3.9 oz caster (superfine) sugar
- 1.2 oz plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
- 1 pinch of salt
- 450 g rectangular sponge cake
- 225 g raspberry jam
- 225 ml sweet sherry
- 600 ml pastry cream
- 600 ml softly whipped cream
- 6 undyed glacé (candied) cherries, halved
- 6 blanched almonds, halved
- 1 stick of candied angelica, cut into 24 diamonds
- 1 handful of gold leaf flakes (optional)
- 15.9 oz rectangular sponge cake
- 7.9 oz raspberry jam
- 7.9 fl oz sweet sherry
- 21.1 fl oz pastry cream
- 21.1 fl oz softly whipped cream
- 6 undyed glacé (candied) cherries, halved
- 6 blanched almonds, halved
- 1 stick of candied angelica, cut into 24 diamonds
- 1 handful of gold leaf flakes (optional)
- 15.9 oz rectangular sponge cake
- 7.9 oz raspberry jam
- 1 cup sweet sherry
- 2.5 cups pastry cream
- 2.5 cups softly whipped cream
- 6 undyed glacé (candied) cherries, halved
- 6 blanched almonds, halved
- 1 stick of candied angelica, cut into 24 diamonds
- 1 handful of gold leaf flakes (optional)
Details
- Cuisine: British
- Recipe Type: Dessert
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 120 mins
- Cooking Time: 90 mins
- Serves: 8
Step-by-step
To make the candied angelica
- Place the pieces of angelica in a stainless steel pan and cover with cold water. Put on a medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook the angelica until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Drain the angelica and drop into iced water. Peel the outer layer from each stem to remove the tough fibres, either using a vegetable peeler or by scraping each stem with a small knife. Sprinkle 1/3 of the sugar in a flat-bottom dish, place the peeled angelica stems on top and cover with the remaining sugar, making sure the stems are completely coated. Cover and set aside for 2 days.
- Transfer the angelica and the sugar to a neat-fitting, heavy pan. Put on a medium heat, bring to a very gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until the stems are translucent, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the stems from the syrup and lay on a wire rack to cool and dry. Leave at room temperature for several hours until the stems are no longer wet but still feel just a little bit sticky to the touch. The stems will keep in an airtight container in a cool dark place, preferably the refrigerator, for months. If you wish, toss the stems in more sugar for a crystallised appearance.
To make the sponge cake
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/gas mark 5. Line a 35×25cm (14×10in) rectangular pan with baking paper.
- Place the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and turn on to a low speed. Gradually blend in the water and increase to full speed. Whisk until the mixture increases in volume and becomes a thick pale mousse, about 10 minutes.
- Sift the flour and baking powder together. Using a rubber spatula or a large metal spoon, fold the flour, 1/3 at a time, into the egg mousse. Reach down to the bottom of the bowl each time you fold to loosen any flour that has sunk to the bottom.
- Whisk the egg whites in a spotlessly clean bowl until they hold a stiff peak. Fold the whites into the cake batter until fully incorporated and immediately transfer to the lined pan(s) and place in the centre of the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, until each cake is light golden and springs back in the centre when gently touched. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
To make the pastry cream
- Place the milk and vanilla pod, if using, in a heavy pan. Put on a medium heat and bring to just below boiling point. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the vanilla pod to infuse with the milk for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar and whisk until the mixture lightens in texture. Add the flour and a pinch of salt and whisk thoroughly.
- If using a vanilla pod, remove it from the milk, scrape the tiny seeds from inside the pod and them add them back into the milk. If using pure vanilla extract, add it to the milk now.
- Pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking all the time until both mixtures are thoroughly combined.
- Return the mixture to a clean pan and place on a medium heat, stirring continuously with a whisk. Take care to scrape across the bottom and into the corners of the pan to prevent the custard from sticking as it cooks. Use a flat-bottomed wooden spoon to help if you feel the mixture is sticking. The custard will gradually thicken as it approaches boiling point.
- When the custard starts to boil, reduce the heat slightly and maintain at a simmer for 2 minutes. During this time the flour in the custard will cook out and the texture will change slightly, becoming noticeably silkier and shiny. Remove the pan from the heat and pass the thick custard through a sieve into a bowl. Press a piece of baking paper against the surface of the custard to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool.
To make the trifle
- Have ready a 1.75 litre (3 pint/7.5 cup) glass trifle bowl.
- Place the sponge cake upside down on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Position the cake so the long side is facing you. About 2cm (0.75in) in from the side closest to you, score a line half the depth of the sponge, taking care not to cut the whole way through the cake as you go – this line will help the sponge to roll into the desired shape.
- Now spread the raspberry jam over the surface of the cake, going right out to the edges. Roll the cake like a swiss roll and cut into slices about 2cm (0.75in) thick. Arrange the slices of cake inside the glass bowl, choosing the prettiest slices to face outwards.
- Pour some of the sherry over the cake as you go. Fill the centre with the remaining slices of cake and take a moment to rearrange if you see any obvious gaps. Pour the remaining sherry evenly over the cake.
- Spoon over the pastry cream and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Wipe any smudges off the bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
- The next day, spread most of the softly whipped cream over the top of the trifle and pipe the remaining cream around the edge to create a pretty border. Finally, decorate with the glacé (candied) cherries, almonds and angelica. Apply flakes of gold leaf to the cherries, if using.
Recipe extracted from Ballymaloe Desserts: Iconic Recipes & Stories from Ireland by JR Ryall (Phaidon, £39.95). Photography by Cliodha Prendergrast.
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