CHEAT'S BLACK FOREST TRIFLE: an Indulgence, option for dairy-free

Simple, light but ever-so-delicious, with a little help from supermarket friends

Cheat's Black Forest Trifle with cherries, brandy, custard & cream
'Fantastic taste' 'Cream very light' 'Sponge chocolatey but not dense'  

The English are masters of trifle; they have a way of layering fruit, sponge, custard and cream in all the right proportions -- and prettify them in the most apealling  way.  

This is a quick version of trifle

Black Forest Trifle: Aerial View

for households wanting to be stuck in the kitchen less, and out celebrating more with an impressive dessert tucked away for later.

it's not healthy at all but it is delightful.

67 made a really quick chocolate sponge --so easy the kids can make it for you.  Once cooled, it was brushed with cherry juice and  brandy and covered with tinned  cherries.  A layer of quality supermarket custard followed then lashings of whipped cream.  Piping the cream and scattering some nuts or grated white chocolate added eye-appeal. 

Obviously, this can be made with home-made custard or Birds Eye.  

Supermarket sponge can replace the home-made version. 

Cost: £5, less with Bird's custard. (prices 2017)
Feeds: 8-10

Ingred:

Home-made Sponge 
   6 oz/175 gm self raising flour (plain flour, add 2 tsp baking powder)
   4 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder (NOT drinking chocolate)
   1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
   4 oz/125 gm caster sugar
   5 fl oz/150 ml sunflower oil
   5 fl oz/150 ml dairy or plant milk
   2 large or 3 small eggs

OR one supermarket sponge, vanilla or chocolate

   1 tin cherries in juice, separated OR 2 generous handfuls fresh cherries, stones removed (67 prefers some fresh cherries, if poss)

   1/4 cup cherry or regular brandy OR white grape juice

   2/3 pint dairy or plant whipping cream
   1 1/2 tbsp icing sugar
   1/2 tsp vanilla

   500gm good quality supermarket custard OR home-made OR Birds made with plant milk

Optional Garnishes:   
   toasted flaked almonds (5 mins in a med oven; watch for burning)
   grated baking chocolate, white or brown   
   glace cherries briefly soaked in boiling water (to remove preservatives) then soaked in brandy/grape juice for half an hour 

Equipment:  if making your own sponge: 9x13 inch/23x33cm pan lined with greaseproof paper 
                   large presentation bowl, pref. see-through

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160c/325f
2. If making own sponge, put all ingred into a big bowl; beat with wooden spoon, whisk or electric beaters until smooth, dark brown & creamy (a few mins with electric beaters; longer by hand). Bake 25 mins; a cocktail stick in the centre should come out clean.  Cool completely; remove greaseproof paper.
3. Line bottom 1/3 of trifle bowl with sponge, cutting pieces to fit
4. Mix 1/2 cup tinned cherry juice & 1/4 cup brandy; brush liberally over sponge (if using fresh cherries, replace with cherry brandy)
5. Scatter half the cherries over sponge, pushing some to the outer edge 
6. Top with half the custard
7. Repeat layers 3-5
8. Whip cream to soft peaks; add vanilla & icing sugar; blend; pipe or drop by spoonfuls onto top of trifle 
9. Scatter a few flaked almonds, chocolate flakes and glace cherries if using
10. Chill a few hours or overnight

Comments from residents at Christmas party: 

• 'Fantastic taste; not too sweet and the cream was very light.'
• 'loved the little bits of fruit; the sponge was chocolately without being dense and the cream wasn't heavy.'
• 'the cherries made it a bit different; you don't often get something so juicy in trifle.'
• 'It reminded me of the days when one always had Black Forest Cake as a treat at a restaurant; lovely'  

Tip:

For a more frugal trifle, try World's Fastest Trifle

   

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.