Black forest trifle

In the time of Queen Elizabeth I, a trifle was a simple combination of cream and rosewater, flavored with ginger and sugar, a light frothy dessert, closer to a syllabub (cream whipped with fruit juice and liqueur) than today’s trifle. By the middle of the 18th century, trifles included ratafia (almond-flavoured biscuits) or macaroons soaked in sweet wine, covered with custard and topped with whipped cream. Later trifles were decorated with glacé angelica and cherries. Now fresh fruit is a more important component.

Ingredients

300 ml	Cream
1 tsp	Icing sugar, to taste, optional
175 g	Sponge cakes, chocolate flavour
⅓ cup	Kirsch
1 cup	Custard, chocolate flavour or chocolate yoghurt (Main)
700 g	Morello cherries, jar, drained (Main)
6 sprigs	Mint, to garnish

Directions

1. Beat the cream, until thick. Sweeten with icing sugar, if preferred. Cut the sponge into thin wedges or 3cm cubes depending on the type of serving dish you are using.
2. Arrange ½ of the sponge in the base of the serving dish. Drizzle with ½ the kirsch. Spoon ½ of the custard on top. Then add a generous layer of cherries. Top with ½ the cream. Repeat the layers reserving a few cherries for the top.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Serve garnished with the mint.

See more of Jan’s make-ahead festive desserts

• Christmas mincemeat sauce
• French meringue case with berries
• Gluten-free pecan pie cheesecake