“Trifle is a classic Christmas favourite. We’ve taken the traditional dessert and given it a modern spin, with in-season berries, quality gin and rosewater cream.” – Kim Coverdale
56 trifle recipes that are a twist on the traditional
Alongside the classic pavlova, Christmas dessert doesn’t get any more traditional than a trifle. Although, as these recipes prove, there’s always a little room for a twist on tradition.
Kirsten Tibballs' strawberry trifle with white chocolate mousse
“Enter a world of strawberry syrup-soaked sponge, seductively sweet white chocolate mousse and an abundance of fresh summery strawberries. The beauty of this knockout trifle comes from the varying shapes and sizes of the fresh strawberry slices. The best part is we’re not aiming for perfect uniformity, which makes this simply stunning effect very easy to create.” – Kirsten Tibballs. Images and text from Chocolate All Day by Kirsten Tibballs, photography by Armelle Habib. Murdoch Books RRP $49.99.
Black forest trifle
Make the most of summer’s beautiful cherries with this stunning trifle. Assemble it the day before for relaxed entertaining. We added kirsch, the traditional cherry liqueur for a black forest cake, but you can simply omit if you prefer.
This lemon meringue pie trifle is the easy showstopper your Christmas needs
This is our fun, festive take on the classic lemon meringue brulée tart – reimagined as a layered trifle that’s as gorgeous as it is delicious. It’s got all the zesty, creamy goodness of the original tart, but piled high in a trifle bowl for maximum drama (and minimal effort). With layers of tangy lemon curd, light sponge and golden, pillowy meringue, it’s a total crowd-pleaser – and no one needs to know you used a store-bought cake.
Pimm's and pavlova trifle with strawberries and cream
This boozy trifle is the ultimate summer centrepiece.
Fresh ideas
Grapes
Grapes are at their peak right now, look for firm, bright fruit for a sweet juicy snack.
Pistachio and raspberry trifle
Pistachio is one of the hottest flavours of the year, and here we combine it with juicy, tart raspberries to create a stunningly vibrant festive dessert that showcases the colours of Christmas in delectably sweet trifle form.
Blackberry and lemon trifle
"Tart berries, zesty lemon and a touch of spice, all rounded out with a sweet white chocolate mousse – expect everyone to ask for seconds." – Dominic Smith. You’ll need 2 x 20cm round cake pans and a 3L-capacity trifle dish, and you’ll need to start this recipe at least 6 hours ahead.
Tropical trifle
Bring out the bright flavours of summer with this tropical mango trifle. Mangoes are the hero of this delicious Christmas dessert, with a vibrant mango jelly layer at the base and juicy slices fanned on top to pair with the golden passionfruit, green kiwi fruit and starfruit for a show-stopping visual. Fluffy chunks of Malibu-spiked madeira cake sink into the smooth whipped coconut cream filling, creating a luxurious texture of this velvety-smooth festive dessert. You’ll need an 8-cup (2L) capacity trifle dish, and you’ll need to start this recipe at least 4 hours ahead.
Spiced trifles with red wine poached pears
"These beautiful little spiced trifles are perfect for Christmas Day dessert; all the components can be made in advance and assembled before serving." – Emelia Jackson
Champagne trifle with berry curd and cream
"This is not your traditional trifle: soft strawberry curd, tart raspberry cream and jam-filled profiteroles top an adults-only Champagne jelly.” – Phoebe Wood
Eggnog cherry trifle
"Eggnog is a much loved Christmas drink in other parts of the world, but less well known here in Australia. It’s essentially a spiked, spiced thin custard, and is absolutely delicious. I’ve turned it into a thicker, more stable custard, perfect for layering in your trifle centrepiece this year." - Emelia Jackson
Mango, passionfruit and white chocolate trifle
“Nothing says Aussie summer quite like fresh mangoes, and trifle is such a crowd-pleasing Christmas classic – the two together combine to make a quintessential Aussie Christmas dessert.” – Tom Gorringe
Gingerbread and orange trifle
“This stunning yet effortless trifle is the perfect show-stopper dessert for Christmas, and you don’t need to tell anybody how easy it was to put together!” – Lucy Nunes
Mango daiquiri trifle
“This trifle is sure to be the the star of your festive table, too!” – Kerrie McCallum
White chocolate and peach trifle
Trifles are the perfect dessert to shared with friends, family and loved ones. Phoebe Wood's recipe features white chocolate and fresh peaches, and will surely go down a treat with everyone.