Black Forest Trifle: Homemade Sponges and Custard
Who needs a black forest gateau when you can make a chocolate cherry trifle? Recipe for homemade sponge fingers sandwiched with cherry jam, covered in chocolate custard, cream, fresh cherries, toasted nuts and chocolate flakes. It’s a special occasion pudding, but who could possibly resist?
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This black forest trifle recipe came about as a result of needing to make something delicious for CT’s birthday. I had cherries, I had some homemade crème fraîche that needed using up and some egg yolks left over from the chestnut cream meringue cake I’d made. Friends had also just given me a jar of their wild cherry jam. Black Forest flavours sprang to mind. And CT does love a trifle.
Anyway, back to those cherries. British summer cherries are a real delight. The season is short though, so it’s good to make the most of them whilst we can. If you can’t get hold of fresh cherries, you could use frozen ones instead, or even jarred. But for the best experience, try and make this when cherries are in season – wherever you live.
Black Forest Trifle
You can make an easy chocolate cherry trifle and buy in the custard and trifle sponges. Or you can go the whole hog and make these two essential parts of a trifle from scratch. It’s easier than you might think, really satisfying and most definitely delicious. You can even make the cherry jam.
Perhaps, not surprisingly, I was rather excited by this Black Forest extravaganza. My first ever proper trifle and it was a complete success. Luckily CT was enamoured too.
The individual ingredients hold their textural integrity. Not too dry and not too soggy. There’s a hint of booze only and none of it is too sweet. The chocolate custard is really chocolatey and the crunchy nuts on top take some beating. In fact, the whole is a perfect balance – hooray! As I write this CT is salivating and looking rather glum. “That was really really delicious” he says wistfully!
How To Make Black Forest Trifle
It’s best to start by making the trifle sponge fingers. Whilst they’re baking, you can make the custard. If you have electric beaters, it’s a cinch to make the sponge. You just need to beat the eggs and sugar together until they’ve tripled in volume. Then you fold in the flour and bake. The sponge rises well and tastes just like a trifle sponge should.
Once the sponge has cooled, cut it into sixteen fingers, then sandwich them together with cherry jam.
The chocolate custard also involves a bit of whisking, but not quite as much. I used homemade crème fraîche to top the custard, but that’s mostly because that’s what I had in the house. Normally I’d whip up some double cream. I leave that one for you to decide.
Caramelised almonds are one of my favourite things. It’s really easy to make your own, especially if you use slivered or flaked almonds. If you get organised, you can bake these just after you take the sponge out of the oven.
Cherry Pitter
I use a cherry pitter* to take those pesky stones out of the cherries. You don’t need one, but it makes life easier and less messy too. You do need to pit your cherries for this black forest trifle though. It’s not really the sort of dessert that lends itself to spitting out the stones.
Other Cherry Recipes You Might Like
- Berry & rose kefir smoothie
- Black Forest Gâteau
- Cherry granola pots
- Clafoutis
- Easy pickled cherries
- Very cherry cream dessert
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Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this chocolate cherry 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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Choclette x
Black Forest Trifle. PIN IT.
Black Forest Trifle
Ingredients
Trifle Sponges
- 2 large eggs (I used duck egg)
- 120 g golden caster sugar
- 100 g plain flour (all purpose flour) sifted
- 8 tsp cherry jam
Chocolate Custard
- 3 egg yolks
- 30 g golden caster sugar
- 15 g plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 275 ml milk
- 55 g dark chocolate chopped (I used 85% for a richer flavour)
Caramelised Almonds
- 40 g flaked almonds
- 10 g icing sugar
- 2 tsp rum
Chocolate Cherry Trifle
- 3 tbsp kirsch golden rum, fruit liqueur or amaretto (I used damson liqueur)
- 250 g fresh cherries
- 20 g icing sugar
- 300 ml crème fraîche or whipped cream
- 10 g dark chocolate grated
Instructions
Trifle Sponges
- Beat the eggs with the sugar until thick, pale and tripled in volume. Electric beaters* are best for this.2 large eggs, 120 g golden caster sugar
- Fold in the flour and mix carefully until it's just incorporated.100 g plain flour (all purpose flour)
- Spoon into a lined 20 x 30cm Swiss roll tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for 13 minutes, until lightly browned and springy to the touch.
- Turn onto a wire rack to cool.
- Cut into 16 fingers and sandwich together with a teaspoon of cherry jam.8 tsp cherry jam
Chocolate Custard
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until well incorporated.3 egg yolks, 30 g golden caster sugar
- Whisk in the flour.15 g plain flour (all purpose flour)
- Bring the milk to the boil and whisk into the egg mixture.275 ml milk
- Return the whole lot to the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes whilst whisking from time to time.
- Take off the heat and add the chocolate.55 g dark chocolate
- Stir until melted and smooth.
- Leave to cool.
Caramelised Almonds
- Mix the almonds in a bowl with the icing sugar and rum.40 g flaked almonds, 10 g icing sugar, 2 tsp rum
- Spread out onto a lined baking tray and bake at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for about 6 minutes until caramelised but not burnt.
- Leave to cool.
Chocolate Cherry Trifle
- Line the base of a glass bowl or decorative dish with the sponge sandwiches.
- Drizzle the alcohol over the top.3 tbsp kirsch
- Halve and stone the cherries. A cherry pitter* makes the job a lot easier.250 g fresh cherries
- Scatter these over the the sponges reserving a few whole ones for decoration.
- Stir the icing sugar into the crème fraîche or whipped cream.20 g icing sugar, 300 ml crème fraîche
- Fold a quarter of the cream mixture into the chocolate custard.
- Spoon the custard over the cherries.
- Spoon the cream over the custard.
- Scatter the almonds, reserved cherries and grated chocolate over the top.10 g dark chocolate
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sharing this recipe for black forest trifle with Farmersgirl Kitchen for #CookBlogShare.
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Absolutely delicious combination of flavours and perfect in a trifle!
Thank you Janice. It’s a firm favourite with CT.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a triffle with chocolate custard in before but it sounds absolutely delicious and so good with those cherries!
Somehow cherries call for chocolate. It’s a really good one and I keep meaning to make it again for CT’s birthday.
I love a proper trifle and your recipe is layer upon layer of deliciousness. When it comes to trifle I do like making my own custard but love that you’ve also made your own trifle sponges. Creating from scratch makes all the difference when it comes to taste.
It’s so quick to make the sponge Lesley, I invariably make my own when it comes to trifle. It does make a difference.
Think I will try this recipe at Xmas as it will be a change from sherry trifle
I love a great trifle, and can’t wait to make this one!
Hazel – Thank you. That banoffee trifle sounds worth a try too – mmmmmmm!
CT was not the only one to salivate at this – sounds incredible with such a great selection of textures and flavours. This really sounds like a dessert for me! I have made a banoffee trifle before but this definitely sounds more interesting, mmmmm!
Baking Addict – this is the first time I’ve done the whole thing from scratch and it was sooooo worth it.
Chele – CT still keeps hinting he’d quite like another one :-S
MCB – thank you
Janice – I impressed myself.
CityHippy – oh do please hot foot it to the kitchen. I know you’d come up with a real cracker – sorry trifle!
Johanna – a good trifle is a wonderful thing, but I’m not keen on the jelly variety. However, I suspect Sylvia might prefer that one.
oddly enough trifle doesn’t really excite me unless chocolate and cherries are involved – great effort – I would have second helpings – and the rest!
Geez Choc, I’d be excited by this too. I haven’t made a trifle for many moons and if this doesn’t make me want to hot foot it to the kitchen I don’t know what does.
I love trifle and this looks sooo good. Cherries, cake, chocolate, how can it not be good?
Wow this is some trifle! Impressive!
Can’t beat a good trifle … especially when chocolate is involved ;0)
Wow yet another fabulous creation. I don’t think I’ve ever made my own trifle – another to add to the ‘to bake’ list
HungryHinney – after the cake I’ve just seen you make, I don’t think this was any effort at all 😉
Karen – thank you. Occasionally I can pull something really good off and I think I managed it this time.
Joanna – yes, outrageous it truly is. I did think about doing the shopping list bit when I first started this blog, but knew if I tried that the blog wouldn’t last very long – it’s just feels like one thing too many and all the information is there.
Anna – it was and there were only two of us to eat it!
C – yes this should have been for a fabulous dinner party or something, but the two of us enjoyed it anyhow.
Hanna – they are such a good combination. I’ve been meaning to make sour cherry brownies for ages – one day!
Dom – it can be torture cruising these food blogs and always leaves me feeling hungry ;-0
aforkful – oh a blackberry version would be stunning – mmmmm.
Gloria – thank you.
Shaheen – you don’t have to use duck eggs. I just like them for baking. Use large hens eggs instead.
I like the look of this trifle and can see it being gobbled by family members, but I just don’t like duck eggs.
Look absolutely amazing!!!! gloria
Mmmmmm…. What’s not to like? 😉 Shame I’m out of cherries now, but I can foresee a blackberry version in my near future… 🙂
Stunning! Look at that sponge man! I love it and need it and want it now!!
Yum, looks fab! I am completely won over by chocolate and cherries!
Wow, fabulous! It sounds like a labour of love, but worth every moment, something really special!
Oh, that looks and sounds SO GOOD!!
That’s an outrageous dish! How many eggs does it use altogether, I would love a shopping list at the beginning so I could see whether I could make this with what I have already at home.
The result looks amazing ~ what a GREAT recipe and made with duck eggs too, I am impressed! A wonderful last photo, VERY pretty indeed!
Karen
This sounds like it took a lot of effort to make!! Looks very impressive though, the perfect summery way to eat chocolate!