Summer Berry Trifle: a Great British Classic
Soft sponge covered with rose infused strawberries, blueberries and raspberries then smothered with custard and cream. If you’re a trifle rushed, this summer berry trifle makes for an easy but indulgent summer dessert.
When CT requested a trifle for his birthday, I was just a little relieved. Time and I don’t seem to get on so well these days and the day before his birthday was a particularly busy one. I’d been concerned that I might not be able to fit a cake in, but a mere trifle?
Summer Berry Trifle
A while back I’d put a bag of chocolate madeleines I’d made (minus the chilli) in the freezer for just such a trifling occasion. Hooray, no cake baking required.
Normally, I’d make custard for a trifle. But shop bought ones are quite respectable nowadays, so you can see the way this is heading. As for the fruit, that was easy too. It’s summer and flavoursome local Cornish strawberries and raspberries are in abundance.
A half used punnet of blueberries was sitting in the fridge calling to be included, along with a bottle of my homemade rose syrup telling me it had been under-utilised this summer. So simple. All I had to do was buy some cream, custard and fruit from the local greengrocers and assemble.
The trifle was a roaring success. CT reckoned it was the best birthday cake ever. The sponge had soaked up all the syrupy rose fruit juices and alcohol and it all worked symbiotically together to make a beautiful whole.
We had it for a birthday breakfast before leaving for the day and had some for a late supper when we got home too. With all that fruit in it, it somehow felt a little less naughty than it really was, so we were able to indulge in a suitably carefree manner.
If you want an easy summer trifle in a hurry, this recipe is the one for you. It’s highly adaptable. You don’t need to use homemade sponge, you don’t need to use madeleines. It’s entirely up to how much you can cope with and what you can get your hands on.
Other Easy Summer Desserts You Might Like
- Apricot whisky honey cheesecake
- Blackcurrant fool with fresh mint
- Chocolate summer fruit tiramisu
- Easy strawberries & cream dessert
- Poached peaches & apricots in lemon & thyme
- Raspberry syllabub with Chardonnay vanilla biscuits
- Roasted plum parfait with lemon curd
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this summer berry trifle, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like more trifle recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have a few. All delicious, of course.
Choclette x
Summer Berry Trifle. PIN IT.
Summer Berry Rose Trifle – The Recipe
Summer Berry Rose Trifle
Ingredients
- 12 madeleines or sponge of choice (I used homemade chocolate madeleines)
- 250 g blueberries washed
- 500 g strawberries washed and halted or quartered according to size
- 250 g raspberries
- 3 tbsp rose syrup or cordial of choice
- 3 tbsp rose liqueur or substitute with more rose syrup
- 500 ml custard
- 300 ml double cream (heavy cream)
Instructions
- Marinade the strawberries in the rose syrup for an hour if possible. Likewise marinade the blueberries in the rose liqueur for the same amount of time.
- Line a trifle bowl or other large round dish with the madeleines or sponge.
- Spoon the blueberries and any juice over the sponges, followed by the strawberries so there are distinctive layers of colour.
- Pour the custard over the fruit, making sure all are covered.
- Whip the cream until peaks form, but take care not to over whip. Spoon over the custard.
- Sprinkle the raspberries over the top along with any other sprinkles desired. If you can bear it, leave in the fridge or a cool place to firm up for an hour or so before eating.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
Shop Local is a monthly event highlighting the importance of shopping locally. Both my raspberries and strawberries are Cornish and bought locally as were the eggs with which I made my madeleines. Hosted by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary, this inspired event is very dear to my heart.
This summer berry trifle is one of those Dead Easy Desserts that you can’t quite believe will turn out to be so good. Although it’s best to leave the fruit to marinade for a while, the assembly process itself takes less than 25 minutes. This event is normally hosted by Sarah of Maison Cupcake, but this month it’s guest hosted by Manjiri over at Slice of Me. The theme this month is strawberries.
As the blueberries were really fed up of sitting in the fridge and crying out to be used, I am submitting this to the No Waste Food Challenge. It’s hosted by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diaries.
A beautiful dessert! Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge and Shop Local 🙂
Thanks Elizabeth
So simple….. yet so perfect! My best trifles have been made with left over cakes dug out of the freezer and fruit remains skulking in the fridge! The combination of chocolate cake and fruit is so yum! Who needs a birthday cake when you can have a trifle like this???
I’m obviously a bit late to this left over cake in the freezer malarky Kate, but I’m glad I finally cottoned on 😉
This looks amazing. Definitely a good summer recipe.
Thank you Hayley 🙂
This looks delicious. I have loads of fruit in the garden at the moment so this would be an ideal way to use it up
I am so envious of all your fruit Alison. Used to have loads at our old allotment but have trouble growing it in the new one.
I’ve only recently come round to the thought of trifles as an anytime dessert. I always associated them with Christmas. Not anymore!!
Oh absolutely not Stuart – trifle should be made and eaten whenever there is a need 😉
This looks beautiful! I think I’ll always have a soft spot for trifle as it usually appears at Christmas and family birthdays. In the past I’ve popped slightly dudd/overcooked sponges in the freezer as they’re perfect for trifle-making emergencies!
Thanks Jo. That’s a very good point you make, I shall never look at an overdone sponge in the same light again.
I do love a good trifle, but I had to laugh at how busy you are now that you are no longer in your job, I could be that busy too!
I know Janice, it’s ridiculous, but sooooo true.
Yum yum! So simple and yet so delicious, love a good trifle.
Thanks Kate 🙂
The trifle looks amazing, its just made me want to go out and some cake. Am glad it was a success it really does look and sound like something I could make am not a baker but would love to give this a go. x
Oh indeed you could make this Ola – you can always buy some trifle sponges.
looks so good and pretty too!
Thank you Mr PM 🙂
That looks simply divine – I love a simple trifle for a great summer pudding.
Thanks Heidi. You’re right, it really is a good summer dessert.
It probably is silly but I have never ever tried triffle yet 😀 It looks amazingly tasty!
How have you managed to get away with not having tried trifle Sylvia – still always good to have something to look forward to 🙂
I could eat a huge bowl of this right now. Love the diea of adding a little bit of rose for summer. Delicious
Thanks Katie, at this time of year fruit is crying out for a little bit of rose 😉
I love having cake in the freezer for these moments! Best trifle I ever made was from a chocolate cake that had been *terrible*, a jar of brandied cherries that had been in the cupboard when my husband moved into the flat (he didn’t tell me that until after we’d eaten them) and chocolate custard made by whisking melted chocolate into bought custard. It was divine.
Now that sounds like a Black Forest trifle par excellence. Never would have thought to add chocolate to bought custard but that tip now firmly lodged in my brain.
Lovely looking trifle – I always think trifles look so colourful and pretty!
Thank you CC. Do I gather you are not a fan?
It’s a fabulous recipe, and thanks so much for the kind mention. Hoping your having a wonderful summer in Cornwall, Brittany is heavenly 🙂 Jude x
Thanks Jude. We’ve been having wonderful weather (touch wood) so have managed to get out quite a bit this summer. Sounds like you’re having a fabulous time.
This sounds delicious. So fruity and summery and the perfect dessert when time is not on your side =)
Thank you Laura – it’s a five a day sort of trifle 😉
This berry trifle looks heavenly! I don’t mind using store-bought products if quality guaranteed.
Yes, absolutely Angie – it’s just it can often be quite hard to find good products.
I was sad when Jude changed her blog name too, as I LOVE A Trifle Rushed – and also love this recipe too!
Thanks Karen – maybe we should start a campaign to bring it back again!
strawberry rose…hello my love!… this sounds divine and having never been a huge trifle fan I think i’ve just fallen in love with this one. Plus I love that you used those chocolate madelines for this, that’s so perfect. And such a great idea to do something different for a birthday too!.. lucky CT x
Strawberry and rose is such a wonderful pairing Dom – in fact I reckon rose is perfect with all the summer fruits. What’s not to love about trifle?
Such a great recipe! I also prefer shopping locally and I love good and fresh ingredients.
Very good to hear this LL – if more of us did it, the high street would be thriving again.