5-minute cheat’s trifle

This is such a simple and quick dessert: kind of Eton Mess meets trifle. And there is no fussing about with custard: just lemon curd and cream……

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This is very much what I would refer to as a store-cupboard dish, using things that are likely to be lying around or can be easily bought.

I’ve made this batch to use up some passionfruit, but it works with any soft fruit you have: raspberries, strawberries, thubarb….and either fresh, frozen or tinned. In the winter, I often throw in some strewed fruit such as apple with cinnamon or pears stewed in spiced wine.

I like making individual trifles, which I have done in cocktail glasses here: slighly naff and perhaps a touch camp! But I often make a larger trifle of this sort for people to dive into at the table.

This particular trifle uses just a few ingredients, but you can gussy it up with all manner of extras or variations: different curds, different fruits, chocolate ganache…..

Lemon and curd and cream!

Of course, you can make a custard or use a good bought custard, but I love the speediness of using a mixture of lemon curd and whipped cream: a great quality lemon curd makes all the difference but I have also made this with a very basic curd and it tasted lovely.

A quick sponge base

The sponges are optional but I do like the squidyness of them at the bottom: memories of childhood trifles! I rarely make a sponge specially for trifle, and often use any cake that is lying around. Even a cheap bought cake, enhanced by the booze, makes for a pretty decent base.

That said, I have used biscuits from time to time: any biscuits, just roughly crumbled will work well. Ginger biscuits work particularly well with these flavours, but the humble digestive also works a treat.

No measurements?

I haven’t given full measurements here as it is really down to choice: you can have more of the lemon curd cream, or more meringues, or even more of the boozy base….go for whatever you want.

As a guide though, one 350g jar of lemon curd, 3 passionfruits and 350ml cream was enough for 6 generous portions.

Recipe: cheat’s passionfruit & lemon trifle – makes 6

• stale cake, trifle sponges, boudoir biscuits or even biscuits such as Digestives
• liqueur of choice: eg) Amaretto, Passoa, sherry, Pimms…..
• lemon curd
• whipped double cream (about the same weight as the lemon curd)
• meringues, roughly broken up
• seeds and pulp from a few passionfruit or use other fruit of choice

(1) Tear the sponge into the bottom of the serving dishes/bowl/glasses and add a splash of the liqueur: be generous, although you don’t want them to be to sodden…but then again you might: personal choice!!

(2) Spoon a few of the passionfruit seeds over the base and top with the meringue.

(3) Mix or fold the cream and the curd together and spoon on top of the meringues

(4) Top with a little more passionfruit.

(5) Dive in!