Raspberry Trifle Recipes

As you know simple home-tested recipes are the best. Easy Raspberry trifle recipes are no different. Submit your family favorite. An old-fashioned English raspberry jello trifle recipe using fresh raspberries.

A trifle is a dessert dish made from thick custard (Birds Eye), fruit, sponge cake, fruit juice or, more recently, jelly (Jello), and whipped cream. These ingredients are usually arranged in layers with fruit and sponge on the bottom, and custard and cream on top.

Some trifles contain a small amount of alcohol such as port, or, most commonly, sweet sherry or madeira wine. Non-alcoholic versions use fruit juice instead, as the liquid is necessary to moisten the cake.

Trifle containing sherry is sometimes called 'sherry trifle' or referred to as being 'High Church'.

One popular trifle variant has the sponges soaked in jelly (liquid-gelatin dessert) when the trifle is made, which sets when refrigerated. The cake and jelly bind together and produce a uniquely pleasant texture if made in the correct proportions (there should not be too much jelly added).

Raspberry Trifle Recipes

There are many dessert recipes with raspberries. A favourite English trifle recipe with fruit and Birds Eye custard that my Grandmother and her family in England still make.

This is an easy, traditional fruit trifle recipe:

Sherry Trifle

1 Swiss Roll, Victoria Sponge or Trifle Sponges

1 packet Strawberry or Raspberry Jelly (Jello)

Strawberries or Raspberry (tinned, frozen or fresh)

600ml (1 pint) Home-Made Custard, cooled (Gramma used Birds Eye Custard)

150ml (¼ pint) Cream Sherry

Strawberry or Raspberry Jam

Toasted Flaked Almonds

Slice the Swiss roll, (if using Victoria or trifle sponges, spread with a little jam).

Arrange in the bottom of a glass serving bowl.

Pour the sherry over the Swiss roll or sponges.

Add the fruit.

Prepare the jelly as per the instructions (if using tinned fruit use the juices).

Pour the jelly over the fruit and sponge.

Place in the refrigerator and allow to set. Pour custard over jelly.

Whisk the cream and spread or pipe on the top of the custard.

Decorate with almonds.

And there you have a traditional raspberry trife recipe to enjoy! If you have other raspberry trifle recipes please submit them. Some supermarkets sell 'chocolate trifle' which is not really trifle at all. A trifle cannot be composed of chocolate layers as it must contain fruit and jelly.

A well-made fruit trifle is often used for decoration as well as taste, incorporating the bright, layered colours of the fruit, jelly, jam, and the contrast of the creamy yellow custard and white cream.

Raspberry Trifle Recipes using custard and sherry are often served at Christmas time, sometimes as a lighter alternative to the much denser Christmas pudding.

Crisp? Crumble? Cobbler?

Step 1: Topping

Crisp Topping 1 cup/ 250ml all-purpose flour

2/3 cup/ 150ml packed brown sugar

1/2 cup/ 125ml chopped nuts (optional)

1 tsp/ 5ml grated citrus rind

1/3 cup/ 75ml butter, melted

- Mix together dry ingredients; drizzle with butter and stir until crumbly

Crumble Topping

1 cup/ 250ml rolled oats

½ cup/ 125ml all-purpose flour

1/3 cup/ 75ml packed brown sugar

1/3 cup/ 75ml chopped nuts (optional)

3 tbsp/ 45ml granulated sugar

Generous pinch nutmeg or cinnamon

Pinch salt

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp/ 90ml chilled butter

- Mix together dry ingredients; lightly work in butter by pinching until crumbs that hold together are formed, with no loose flour.

Cobbler Topping

1 cup/ 250ml all-purpose flour

¼ cup/ 60ml granulated sugar

1 tsp/ 5ml baking powder

¼ tsp/ 1ml baking soda

¼ cup/ 60ml chilled butter

¾ cup/ 175ml buttermilk

½ tsp/ 2ml vanilla extract

- Mix together dry ingredients; with pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until crumbly. Mix together buttermilk and vanilla; drizzle over flour mixture and stir with fork until soft, sticky dough is formed.

Step 2: Fruit

6 to 7 cups /1.5 to 1.75L sliced fruit

3 tbsp/ 45ml (for Crisp or Crumble) granulated sugar or/ 1/3 cup/ 75ml (for Cobbler) granulated sugar

1 tbsp/ 15ml cornstarch, or 2 tbsp / 30ml flour

_Mix fruit with sugar and cornstarch or flour. Place in buttered 8-inch /2L square baking dish. Sprinkle with Crisp or Crumble Topping or for Cobbler, with spoon, drop dough in 9 evenly spaced mounds over fruit.

Step 3: Baking

Crisp or Crumble: Bake in 350 F/ 180 C oven until fruit is bubbling and topping is crisp, 45 to 60 minutes.

Cobbler: Bake in 400 F/ 200 C oven until fruit is bubbling and topping is light golden and no longer doughy underneath when lifted, 35 to 40 minutes.

Favourite Fruit Combos

Most fruits – pears, peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums, apples, quince, rhubarb, or berries – alone or combined, are great for crisps, crumbles or cobblers. Try one of these classic combos:

Apple Blackberry (2 or 3 parts apples to 1 part berries)

Strawberry Rhubarb (2 parts berries to 1 part rhubarb)

Peach Raspberry (3or 4 parts peaches to 1 part berries)

Peach Blueberry (3 or 4 parts peaches to 1 part berries)

Pear Cranberry (2 parts pears to 1 part berries)

Blumbleberry (mixed berries – blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or strawberries- or 3 parts mixed berries to 1 part apple and/or rhubarb