Everyone loves a classic custard and jelly trifle. This recipe makes the ever-loved dessert even better with homemade custard and jelly and a crispy sugar brûlée on top while keeping it almost as easy as the original.
If there is one dessert that I believe was served by almost every millennial’s mother at parties, it’s the evergreen custard and jello trifle. While each home had their own version, it was almost always a combination of custard, jello, some sort of store-bought pound cake, and whipped cream.
As basic as it sounds, for some reason, it’s one of those desserts you never get tired of. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, I don’t know, but it still tastes as good as it did when I was 5.
So when it came to recreating the classic dessert, I really did not want to change anything about it, I just wanted to make it taste even better. For this reason, this trifle is made with the exact same layers – fruit, jelly, custard, and cream, but each one made a little better.
How, you ask? Well, we’re basically replacing the store-bought stuff with homemade stuff. Everything except for the pound cake cause let’s face it, nothing beats store-bought pound cake. I honestly don’t know what they put in it to make it that good.
So let’s get into each component.
Homemade Strawberry Jelly
The trifle stats with a strawberry jelly layer, but we’re not gonna be using any of that nasty packet stuff, we’re gonna make our own jello. You’ll be surprised to learn how easy it is to make homemade jello with fresh fruit, and how much better it tasted than the packet kind. I mean, you can’t really beat the flavor of fresh fruit!
This jello is made with 4 simple ingredients – fresh strawberries, caster sugar, lemon juice and zest, and gelatin powder, and comes together in less than 15 minutes with minimum effort. I’ve added lemon to balance out the sweetness in the trifle as overall, it’s quite a sweet dessert.
PS: You can also use frozen strawberries, just make sure to thaw them before using.
Here’s how to make homemade strawberry jello.
- First, bloom the gelatin powder by mixing it with the ice cold water and let it set for 15 minutes. This helps activate the gelatin powder.
- In a saucepan, add chopped strawberries, caster sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice, and water, give it a quick mix, then let it cook on medium heat until it starts boiling.
- Cover and cook the jelly on medium low heat for another 5-10 minutes until the the strawberries become soft. Do not squish the strawberries throughout the process or your jello will not be clear.
- Once done, strain the liquid into a heat-proof bowl, making sure not to squish down on the strawberries. Reserve the strawberry bits and use it as jam in your breakfast.
- While the jello mixture is still hot, add the bloomed gelatin and whisk until it’s fully combined.
- Now start assembling your trifle – add a layer of chopped strawberries at the bottom, then top it with the jelly mixture. I prefer filling the bowl by half with the jello mixture for a good balance.
- Let it chill in the fridge while you prepare the custard.
Homemade Custard
As tasty as the trifle were when our moms made it, I think we can universally agree on the fact that custards made with the powdered mixture are FOUL, especially compared to the homemade kind. I wish more people realized HOW EASY it is to make custard at home from scratch and how much better it tastes compared to the powdered kind.
Since we’re making this trifle better, we are of course, going to make a homemade custard. If you have never made it before, trust me when I say that it’s the easiest thing ever and it comes together in less than ten minutes.
All you need is – egg yolks, caster sugar, cornflour, milk, vanilla, and butter.
Here’s how to make homemade custard.
- In a saucepan, add the milk and vanilla and cook it on medium heat until they almost start boiling.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, caster sugar, and cornflour in a bowl until the mixture is pale and creamy.
- Once the milk is heated, gradually pour half of it into the milk mixture while whisking continuously. This process is known as tempering the eggs and it stops the eggs from scrambling while cooking by introducing some heat into them beforehand. Keep whisking to stop the eggs from scrambling.
- Now turn the heat to low and pour the egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan. From this step on, you have to whisk continuously, or the eggs may scramble from the heat.
- Keep whisking continuously, until the custard starts thickening. This process will take about 3-5 minutes. Once it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, take it off the heat and add the butter. let it melt and whisk it into the custard until it’s smooth and silky.
Assembly
Once the custard is ready and cooled down, it’s time to assemble the trifle. While the custard is being prepared, the jelly should be set enough to create the remaining layers of the trifle.
Here are the steps for assembling the trifle.
- Place a layer of sliced store-bought vanilla pound cake or strawberry Swiss roll cake on top of the set jelly.
- Pipe the custard on top of the cake, filling the bowl till the top. Smooth the custard layer on the bottom, then let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow the layers to set properly.
- Before serving, sprinkle sugar on top and blow torch it to create a crispy brûlée layer. Make sure to do this just before serving as the brûlée layer softens in a few minutes.
- Top with some whipped cream if you like, and enjoy!
PS: You can create this trifle in individual serving bowls or in a large sharing dish as per your preference.
So here’s how we are making the classic Custard and Jello trifle dessert better
- Using homemade jelly made with fresh fruits instead of the packet kind.
- Adding lemon to the jelly to balance out the sweetness of the dessert.
- Making homemade custard instead of the store-bought, powdered kind.
- Adding a layer of sugar brûlée on top to give the dessert some texture to balance out all the soft layers.
While these changes may add a little more effort to the process, the improvement in flavors is completely worth it!
Ready to give it a try? Let’s get started.
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Custard & Jello Trifle
Equipment
- 4-6 small servings bowls or one large 8" square or rectangle dish for assembly
- Strainer
- Hand whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Blow torch
Ingredients
Homemade Strawberry Jello
- 40 grams gelatin powder
- 200 ml ice cold water for blooming gelatin
- 500 grams chopped strawberries fresh or frozen (thaw if using frozen)
- 200 grams caster sugar
- 100 ml fresh lemon juice approximately 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
Homemade Custard
- 100 grams egg yolks
- 120 grams caster sugar
- 50 grams cornflour/cornstarch
- 500 ml full-fat milk
- 2 tsp vanilla essence or vanilla pod
- 50 gs unsalted butter
For Assembly
- 1 vanilla pound cake or mini strawberry Swiss roll cakes store-bought and sliced
- Extra chopped strawberries
- Extra sugar for brûlée
- Sweetened whipped cream optional
Instructions
Homemade Strawberry Jello
- Bloom the gelatin: Place the cold water in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin powder over it. Mix quickly before it sets, then let it chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.40 grams gelatin powder, 200 ml ice cold water
- In a saucepan, add the chopped strawberries, caster sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water, and let it cook on medium heat until the mixture starts boiling. Lower the heat and cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the strawberries have softened.500 grams chopped strawberries, 200 grams caster sugar, 100 ml fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp lemon zest
- Do not crush the strawberries as this will make your jello cloudy instead of clear. Strain the liquid and reserve the strawberries, you can use them as jam in your breakfast. When straining, make sure not to push down on the strawberries to avoid cloudiness.
- While the jelly mixture is still hot, add the bloomed gelatin and mix again until fully incorporated.
- In your chosen assembling bowls or dish, place a layer of chopped strawberries at the bottom and top it with the jelly mixture. I prefer filling them halfway through to create a good balance. Let it chill in the fridge while you make the custard.Extra chopped strawberries
Homemade Custard
- Bring the milk and vanilla to a boil in a saucepan on medium heat. While it boils, whisk the egg yolks, caster sugar, and corn flour in a separate bowl until they’re pale and creamy.100 grams egg yolks, 120 grams caster sugar, 500 ml full-fat milk, 2 tsp vanilla essence or vanilla pod, 50 grams cornflour/cornstarch
- Once the milk starts boiling, temper the egg mixture by adding half of it to the egg yolk mix and whisking it continuously. This introduces eggs to some heat before they are transferred to the saucepan, reducing the chances of them scrambling over the heat.
- Transfer the egg yolk and milk mixture back to the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture on medium heat. Keep whisking continuously until the custard starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Once the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, remove it from the heat, add the butter, and whisk until properly combined.50 gs unsalted butter
Assembly
- Once the custard has cooled down and the jelly has set enough, start the layering process.
- Create a layer of sliced pound or Swiss roll cake on top of the set jello, then fill the remaining space with the custard. Smooth it out at the top and let it chill for at least 2 hours to set the layers.1 vanilla pound cake or mini strawberry Swiss roll cakes
- Before serving, sprinkle sugar on top of the custard and blow torch it to create a crispy sugar shell. Pipe whipped cream on top if desired and enjoy.Extra sugar, Sweetened whipped cream
Notes
- This trifle can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge. However, the brûlée top must be done just before serving as the sugar softens in a few minutes
- The trifle can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days.
- When making the jelly, do not squish the strawberries as the strawberry particles will result in a cloudy jelly. Don’t squish on them even while straining.
- Do not throw away the strained strawberry bits, it will be a good jam substitute for breakfast.
- When cooking the custard, make sure to keep mixing constantly to stop the eggs from scrambling.
- Stop the cooking process for the custard before it gets too thick. If your custard feels too thick, add 1-2 tbsps of milk and whisk it, it should return to normal
I am so excited to go down the memory lane and recreate some of my favorite nostalgic desserts from my childhood. Have any classic desserts you would like me to recreate? Let me know in the comments!
If you give this recipe a try, let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram.
Until next time!
