I love trifle but have never seen it served like that. We make it in a round glass dish so the layers are on show rather than serving it like a rectangular cake. I don't bother to make the custard.

@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK, we don't have a round glass dish big enough! That's my lasagna pan and it rarely has leftovers of either trifle or lasagna.

I have one of those footed trifle bowls someone gave us long ago. It’s nice but so is your lasagna pan. I’m not surprised about no leftovers!

I had British parents so grew up with trifle for any special occasion dessert. Like floral, it was always served in a footed, straight sided round glass bowl - seeing the different layers is an important part of the presentation. And like floral, it was Birds Custard powder that was used......making custard from scratch is a bit of a waste of time IMO :-)) Although I've used other fruity ingredients in the filling layers, bananas are my favorite and perfect with the raspberry jam. And lady fingers instead of sponge cake.

I still make it every year for Christmas and for special birthdays. It makes a lot....my trifle dish will feed 10-15 easily!!

This was also never just an adult dessert in our household. Kids just didn't get a large serving, although a few noshes of cream sherry was unlikely to be much of a concern.

For large numbers we'd make several, not one huge one. So the dish doesn't have to be enormous. Or people serve individual trifles. Yours is, I'm sure, delicious, but the appearance of the layers is intrinsic to a traditional trifle. It's spooned out of the dish rather than sliced.

I also have the beautiful dish for the trifle. Must make one. I haven't done one for years LOL

I get using what you have, though surely in a dozen years a trifle bowl might have wafted by... I do remember my mother's excursion in trifle. I can't remember the occasion, but think it must have been the whole, greater family, i.e. several dozens of cousins. The big punchbowl was pressed into service. Cut glass. Really pretty! Such a disappointment, to me. While I adore custard, I just don't like whipped cream... ;)

/

My mum made one with bananas and without cream. Still delicious. We never had a footed dish. Just a round pressed glass dish. Currently I make it in a glass dish from a thrift shop which came with six matching bowls. The last one I made was for son's day after wedding buffet last summer.

Years ago I used the trifle bowl for one of those 7-layer salads. Nice presentation but kind of a PITA to serve. Pic from online.

Just check Amazon to see a variety of possibilities. Like Floral, you might find a great one at a thrif shop or garage sale. And there's a whole subcategory of domed cake stands which turn over to stand on the tray part, and the knob of the inverted dome settles into the hollow center of the stand pedestal, becoming a two part, large trifle bowl. Very clever, though I think it would be tricky to move.

Agree with checking thrift shops and garage sales. You might also check places like HomeGoods, TJ Maxx or Marshall’s. Some brands, such as Anchor Hocking and Libbey, can be pretty reasonable for new items. Maybe also Amazon or Target…

Sorry about the repetitions. It seems to be a function of editing on my phone. I've removed them.

I've had so many electronic weirdnesses this week, Floral! I had no idea they were world-wide. OTOH, I was told by the cable tech help said I couldn't get get the cable remote to control the sound box volume without changing the control button, and told by TV tech help that I couldn't make the remote on my new TV control the external sound, but I figured out how to do both (the latter is necessary for the former)! And that might have made me open velcro for the weirdness!

Webrestaurantstore, Anchor Hocking, one for $14.99. i don't know how much shipping is, but a great price if it's under $20

89269 Presence 96 oz. Glass Trifle Bowl

Height8 1/2 Inches

Bottom Diameter4 1/2 Inches

Maximum Diameter9 Inches

Top Diameter9 Inches

Capacity3 qt.

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/anchor-hocking-89269-presence-96-oz-glass-trifle-bowl/55089269.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInvDG18eEiAMVngetBh0uBy0nEAQYBiABEgK80PD_BwE

But if you want the ne plus ultra of trifle bowls, they make them with perfectly vertical sides.

We daughters in law have taken over making the family Christmas Eve dinner for many years now as MIL is now 94. I generally do desserts as well as the ham, but MIL likes to contribute something, so she makes trifle. I love it because I love any custard based desserts but DH and DD don't care for trifle so I don't make it myself. The rest of the family also don't eat a lot of trifle so I get to enjoy the leftovers- trifle for Christmas morning breakfast is my favourite!

Like posted above, a few on Amazon that are more traditional. Like the AnchorHocking. I was gifted the 6-in-one 20 years ago from my mother. She picked it up new-in-box from her local thrift that is connected to a food bank. She takes in donations and checks the other offerings for sale. She is always embarassed paying retail, so the thrift sticker was left on the box. I use it at the beach home for lunch snacks and breakfast offerings...muffins, bagels, fruit, etc. Softened butter, cream cheese, on the side tray. Smoked salmon, ya-da.

Breakfasts and lunches are always 'you-are-one-your-own' meals. Heavy glass dome keeps the pups out of it. Keeps it fresh-ish..

Custard is always better made from scratch and is very easy. I make my banana pudding vanilla from scratch. I do not use a double boiler, I just control the heat and never quit stirring.

I made a ”Death by Chocolate” trifle that everyone raved about. In fact, I got in trouble the next Christmas when I did not bring it. It was a recipe from a coworker.

ETA: I do have a Triffle dish from Dad and I have a Arcorco, glass salad dish with 8 salad bowls. I also have a cut glass punch bowl.

Now I just need to figure out how to make everything dairy and nut free for the grandson, which is why I have not made in years. Can't use that much dessert if he is not here and cannot serve it if he is.

Sherry, can you share the recipe?

Took awhile to find it. It is one of those box recipes, but really very good.

ETA: It would be easy to make from scratch, except for the candybars.

I would think that custard made with oat milk would be fine for the non-dairy set + the population at large. I have found whipped coconut milk to be only ok, but I’d try substtuting meringue for whipped cream in a trifle. Or use the commercially available frozen coco whip (pretty good).

Thanks, Sherry! Agreed, it would be pretty easy to replicate from scratch. I have relatives who would love it! I typed it up,partly in my own words, to make sure I understand. Please correct any mistakes!

Trifle: Death By Chocolate From her friend Denise Via Sherry (gw)

INGREDIENTS

1 box brownie family sized mix
2 boxes milk chocolate mousse size?
4 Heath candy bars or “skou”. what size?
4 TBSP coffee with 1 tsp sugar
1 large tub Cool Whip

DIRECTIONS

Bake brownies and let cool.
Poke holes in the brownies and pour in the coffee/sugar mix
Prepare mousse according todirections
Tap candy bars with hammer to break into pieces
Cut brownies and break up half of them, lining the bottom of the serving dish
Cover with half the mousse, half the Cool Whip and half the candy
Repeat making a second layer, first brownie then mousse
Top with the Cool Whip and sprinkle with candy

The mousse only came in a small box, I do not remember what size. Probably each served four? The candy was Skor or Heath. They are one of those crunchy candy bars covered with chocolate, the large full size.

Making from scratch, I would make the large pan of brownies and a big bowl of mousse.

Thanks, Sherry! That's close enough. Plus, one can always improvise, but so much easier wehn we have the concept. I've made brownie mix, but never seen mousse mix or Skor (though now that you gave the correct name, I think I've heard of it). I appreciate your willingness to share and answer questions. I would never have thought up a chocolate trifle!