Bombe alaska trifle

Trifle recipe

Trifle is an iconic British dessert that went on to become one of Australia’s favourites as well. A traditional trifle recipe is made of tiers of sponge cake, fruit, and custard, and is usually topped with cream. It just sings of summer celebrations and entertaining!

Not only is trifle dessert delicious, it’s also very versatile. Every one of the trifle layers can be modified, which is great for showcasing seasonal fruits and including your favourite flavours. This trifle is inspired by another fantastic dessert: bombe Alaska – a cake and ice cream dessert topped with flambéed meringue. We’ve taken that wonderful idea and used a blowtorch to scorch our trifle meringue. The end result looks stunning on the table and is sure to get your guests excited to dig in.

How to make trifle at home

This easy trifle recipe calls for a premade Coles mud cake, but you could make your own cake layer using our Victoria Sponge cake recipe if you wanted to make the whole thing from scratch.

The first step is to prepare the jelly since this takes the longest to set. To make it in a 12 cup (3 litre) trifle bowl or dish, you’ll need enough room for it to sit flat in the fridge. Make the jelly following the packet instructions. After the jelly has cooled, pour it into the bottom of the dish and add a third of the raspberries in an even layer. Place the dish with the jelly and raspberries in the fridge for about 4 hours to set.

Combine the milk, chocolate, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook while gently stirring for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and silky. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat.

To make the custard, separate the egg yolks from the whites. You can do this by transferring the yolks between the shells and letting the whites run through, or carefully scooping the intact yolks from the bowl. Set the whites aside (you will need two egg whites for the meringue later, so don’t throw them out) and add the yolks to a bowl along with the sugar. Beat the yolks and sugar together using an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add the flour and whisk to incorporate before slowly adding the chocolate milk mixture in a thin, steady stream – almost a drizzle. Once everything is combined, transfer the mixture to a clean, cold saucepan before bringing the heat up to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until the custard boils and thickens (about 3 minutes). Take the custard off the stove and pour into a heatproof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down on the surface of the custard to remove all of the air. Place in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.

15 minutes before you’re ready to assemble your trifle, add the remaining raspberries to a bowl. Pour over the Frangelico or coffee syrup. You could also use fruit juice here if you prefer (cranberry will emphasise the raspberry flavour). Set aside for 15 minutes to macerate.

Assembling your trifle

When it comes to stacking the trifle, it pays to take a little bit of care to get those perfect layers. When the jelly has set, remove the trifle bowl from the fridge. Whip the custard and cream together in a large bowl until smooth and thick enough to dollop. Spoon half of the custard mixture on top of the jelly layer. Next, place slices of sponge cake on top of the custard layer before topping with half the macerated raspberries. The liquid from the raspberries will soak into the cake and give it a delicious flavour and moist texture. Repeat all the layers again, starting with the custard, then the cake, then the raspberries until everything has been used up. Place the whole trifle bowl back into the fridge to chill.

For the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl using an electric mixer. When soft peaks form, add in the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Whisk well after each addition until all the sugar has dissolved and the peaks are stiff enough to hold a shape. The stiffer the meringue is, the better it will maintain its shape when torched. Remove the trifle from the fridge and pile on the meringue. Manipulate the shape to your liking. Using a kitchen blowtorch, toast the meringue until browned all over and crispy to touch.

To serve, use a large spoon to scoop the trifle into individual bowls. Make sure your spoon is long enough to reach the jelly layer at the bottom. Enjoy alone or with ice cream, extra berries, or chocolate shavings.

Now get cooking

Trifle is one of Australia’s favourite desserts and is especially popular around Christmas time. For a truly festive trifle, check out Curtis Stone’s pavlova trifle with peaches, nectarines and raspberries. And for Easter, have a go of this delicious hot cross bun trifle. For another sweet peach rendition, this peach Melba trifle is an absolute must-make and a classic trifle recipe. If nectarines are your favourite, have a go of this golden fruit trifle, which also features sweet mango and tangy passionfruit. Strawberries are another terrific trifle topper! Check out Andrea Scardamaglia’s strawberry trifle with jam sponge rolls, this strawberries 'n' cream trifle with macarons, or these mini strawberry shortcake trifles – they’re perfect for high tea. If you love a custard trifle, you’ll love these little spiced jelly custard trifle cups as well. Chocoholics can rejoice! There’s plenty of trifle recipes to satisfy that cocoa sweet tooth as well. Check out this decadent chocolate brownie trifle with berries, these mini chocolate and raspberry trifles, or this incredible Wagon Wheel trifle.