Delia Smith Chocolate Trifle​ Recipe

This decadent Delia Smith Chocolate Trifle is made with American-style muffins, high-quality dark chocolate, creamy mascarpone, rich custard, whipping cream, and a generous amount of dark rum. The result is a boozy, velvety, and deeply chocolatey dessert that is the ultimate centerpiece for a holiday gathering or a special occasion. This recipe creates enough to serve 8-10 people and is perfect for a festive winter celebration.

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Delia Smith Chocolate Trifle Ingredients

• 3 double-chocolate-chip American-style muffins
• 7 oz (200 g) dark chocolate (75 per cent cocoa solids)
• 1 x 680 g jar pitted morello cherries, drained and soaked overnight in 3 fl oz (75 ml) dark rum
• 2 level tablespoons morello cherry jam or conserve
• 9 oz (250 g) mascarpone
• 14 oz (400 g) fresh custard
• 10 fl oz (275 ml) whipping cream
• 3 fl oz (75 ml) dark rum

How To Make Delia Smith Chocolate Trifle

1. Soak the cherries: Start this recipe the day before you plan to serve it. Simply drain the jarred cherries and place them in a bowl with the 3 fl oz (75 ml) of dark rum. Let them soak overnight.
2. Prepare the muffin base: The next day, slice each muffin horizontally in half. Spread one half of the cut side with a layer of the cherry jam or conserve, then press the slices back together to re-form the muffin. Now, cut each muffin vertically into four pieces, roughly $3/4$ inch ($2$ cm) wide.
3. Assemble and soak the base: Arrange the cut muffin pieces around the base of your trifle bowl or serving dish. Use a skewer to stab the muffins repeatedly, creating holes for the liquid. Strain the rum from the soaked cherries and sprinkle the rum evenly over the muffins. Scatter the rum-soaked cherries on top of the muffin base.
4. Melt the chocolate: Reserve $2$ oz ($50$ g) of the dark chocolate for your final decoration. Break the rest of the chocolate into squares. Place the broken chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl. Place this bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water (this setup is called a bain-marie). Keep the heat on the lowest setting and let the chocolate melt slowly until it becomes smooth and glossy, which should take about $5$ minutes.
5. Mix the trifle filling: Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the pan and stir it well. Let it cool for 2-3 minutes. While it cools, put the mascarpone into a separate bowl and beat it to soften it up. Add the fresh custard and whisk them together until smooth. Finally, whisk in the cooled, melted chocolate until the mixture is uniform.
6. Layer and chill: Pour the entire chocolate-custard mixture over the soaked muffins and cherries in the trifle bowl. Next, whip the $10$ fl oz ($275$ ml) of whipping cream until it reaches the soft, floppy stage (meaning it holds a gentle shape, not stiff peaks). Carefully spoon this whipped cream over the trifle filling, using a palette knife or the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly.
7. Decorate and chill: Using a piece of foil to protect the remaining $2$ oz ($50$ g) of chocolate from the heat of your fingers, finely shred or chop it. Sprinkle these chocolate shreds over the surface of the whipped cream. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Recipe Tips

• Soak Cherries Overnight: The overnight soaking period is essential. This allows the cherries to fully plump up and absorb the dark rum, which is what gives the trifle its characteristic boozy, rich flavor.
• Use Quality Dark Chocolate: Since the chocolate is the main flavor, use a dark chocolate with $75%$ cocoa solids for a rich, deep, and slightly bitter counterpoint to the sweet custard. Cheap chocolate can taste waxy.
• Cool the Chocolate: Make sure to let the melted chocolate cool for a few minutes before adding it to the mascarpone and custard mixture. Adding hot chocolate could cause the custard to curdle or the mascarpone to separate.
• Whip Cream to the Floppy Stage: Don’t over-whip the cream to stiff peaks. “Floppy” cream is much easier to spread smoothly over the filling, creating an attractive, soft top layer that doesn’t feel heavy when you eat it.

What To Serve Delia Smith Chocolate Trifle

This rich, creamy trifle is a decadent dessert that stands well on its own, but you can certainly enhance the serving experience. It pairs wonderfully with a simple cup of espresso or a strong black coffee to cut through the richness. For a holiday setting, a glass of port wine or a small digestif like Amaretto or a dark Biscotti Liqueur would be a perfect complement. You can also offer a side of light, fresh fruit like raspberries or strawberries to add a bright, acidic contrast to the deep chocolate and creamy layers. Since the trifle already has a delicious rum flavor, you do not need an extra sauce.

How To Store Chocolate Trifle Leftovers

• Refrigerate: Store the leftover Chocolate Trifle in the refrigerator, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. The texture may soften slightly as it sits, but the flavors will remain intense.
• Freeze: Trifle is generally not recommended for freezing. The custard and whipped cream layers will separate and become watery and grainy when thawed, ruining the smooth, luxurious texture.

Delia Smith Chocolate Trifle Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 450 kcal
• Total Fat: 30g
• Saturated Fat: 18g
• Cholesterol: 120mg
• Sodium: 110mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 40g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 30g
• Protein: 7g

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make this trifle without alcohol? Yes, you can easily omit the rum. Instead of soaking the cherries in rum, simply soak them in $3$ fl oz ($75$ ml) of the cherry liquid from the jar, or use the same amount of a strong cherry juice or black tea. The flavor will be different but still delicious.
• What is mascarpone? Mascarpone is an Italian double or triple cream cheese. It is much smoother and sweeter than standard cream cheese, with a very high butterfat content that makes it incredibly creamy. You can usually find it next to the ricotta or specialty cheeses in your grocery store.
• Why is it important to use fresh custard? While you can use canned or boxed custard, using fresh, high-quality custard will result in a much richer, smoother, and more luxurious texture for the filling. It prevents the filling from becoming overly thick or having a starchy aftertaste, which is essential for a high-end dessert like this.

Try More Recipes:

• Delia Smith Chocolate Torte​ Recipe
• Delia Smith Chocolate Roulade Recipe​
• Delia Smith Chocolate Mousse​ Recipe