Christmas trees are up, fruit mince pies are out and Santa is waiting to smile for your family photo (at a safe distance of course).

It’s the silly season and there is so much celebrating to be made up for!! A wonderful time to let your hair down, catch up with family and friends and reminisce about the crazy year that was 2021.

One of my favourite things to make at Christmas time is a trifle. It’s not only a crowd pleasing dessert but It’s just so lovely to look at. So lovely in fact that they double as your table centrepiece.

This Christmas Trifle is so easy to make you will feel like you are cheating!

I’ve used lots of hacks, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time gazing at your beautiful creation.

To make this a little more special I have topped this Christmas trifle with shards of praline. Don’t let that scare you off because praline is so easy to make and only uses two ingredients; sugar and hazelnuts.

It’s all about the layers with a trifle and this one has it all!!

Jelly: You can use any flavour of jelly and I add in fresh berries for texture. If this is an adults only jelly then you can even spike it with some vodka to get the party started.

Fruit cake: No need to spend hours baking a fruit cake when you can purchase a good quality fruit cake from your local supermarket. If you are not a fan, then a ready made sponge will also work well.

Custard: The key to a great trifle is creamy, thick custard. So when I’m doing a cheats trifle like this one, using a good quality custard is a must. I use Paul’s vanilla custard. Around Christmas time they release a few more variations like the vanilla bean custard and the brandy custard. So delicious!

Freshly whipped Chantilly cream: This is just a fancy way of saying whipped cream with sugar and vanilla.

And that my friend is how you recreate a Christmas trifle masterpiece! Enjoy!!

For many more delicious recipes check out my blog mrsfoodiemumma.com and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram @mrsfoodiemumma 

Cheats Christmas Trifle 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 packets strawberry jelly crystals
• 1 punnet blueberries
• 2 punnets strawberries. One halved leaving the stems intact, the other hulled and halved
• 2 tbs Caster Sugar
• 60g Shelled hazelnuts roughly chopped
• 100 g Caster sugar
• 1 Christmas fruit cake
• 3 tsp Chambord liquor
• 1 Litre Thick Custard
• 600 ml thickened cream
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 punnet raspberries
• Icing sugar for dusting

METHOD

• Prepare the jelly as per the packet instructions and carefully pour into the bottom of a trifle bowl approximately 20cm in diameter. Add half the punnet of blueberries to the jelly liquid then place in the fridge to set for 3hrs or overnight.
• Meanwhile, place the punnet of strawberries which you have hulled and halved in a bowl with 1 tbs of caster sugar and leave to macerate at room temperate for at least an hour.
• To make the praline, place a sheet of baking paper onto a baking tray. Spread the hazelnuts over the paper. Heat the caster sugar in a pan over medium heat without stirring. Once the sugar dissolves and liquid turns a deep brown caramel colour remove from heat.
• Pour the mixture over the hazelnuts. Allow the caramel to cool and set hard, then break into large shards.
• Cut the Christmas fruit cake into squares and arrange the squares over the jelly.
• Press down gently and then drizzle over the liquor.
• Spoon over the macerated strawberries, then carefully pour over the custard.
• Whip the cream with the vanilla and 1tbs of caster sugar until soft peaks form.
• Gently spoon the cream over the custard making a high mound in the centre.
• Arrange the halved strawberries all around the edge of the trifle bowl, cut side out.
• Garnish with raspberries, remaining blueberries and the hazelnut praline shards. Dust with icing sugar.