Preparing Trifle In Advance

kah22

FI'm planning on making THIS TRIFLE for Christmas. What I'm wondering is how far in advance could I prepare the base. The trifle will be in a large crystal fruit bowl

The Base
* 500g/1lb 2oz frozen summer fruit (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants work well)
* 50g/2oz caster sugar, or more to taste
* 2 tbsp blackcurrant or raspberry liqueur (cassis or Chambord)
* 500ml/18fl oz cloudy apple juice
* 5 sheets leaf gelatine
* 250g/9oz madiera cake

What I've gathered from a few Google searches is that a jelly can be made up to four days in advance. I'd like to do it this Sunday evening and I'm wondering would a week be to long to leave it sitting in the fridge? Would the liqueur help prolong its shelf life?

Thanks for your advice

Kevin

PasturesNew

A week would be far too long.... even though your information suggests jelly has a lifespan of four days I'd really not wish to eat it after more than two. It dulls and becomes quite lack lustre imho.

Some things you "just don't fancy it now" when it's been sitting around a bit.

A week would be well beyond the death of it.

Trifle's not hard - how come you're even considering making it so far ahead of time? It can almost be knocked up on the morning of the day you wish to eat it for tea, in the time it takes your morning kettle to boil!

jackyann

I make trifle base the day before, to give the flavours a chance to meld, I also make the custard, to give it a chance to cool properly.
On Christmas morning, I put the custard on top of the base, whip up the cream, and add that. Decoration is last minute, as otherwise it 'bleeds' into the cream.
I wouldn't have it hanging around much more than that - ours gets finished on Boxing Day.
I think that the damp air in the fridge is not kind to jelly. A plain jelly can sit in a cool place for a few days, but it will not 'preserve' the fruit & cake.

kah22

Thanks all for your answers: late Christmas it seems to be

Happy and holy Christmas to you all

Kevin

Upsidedown_Bear

I misread the thread title as Preparing Thrift in Advance and thought "I wonder how that works?" :doh:

Sorry OP - no help to you.

Happy Christmas :xmassign:

kah22

Maybe another quick question. I'm a life long non drinker but have no difficulty with booze in food. Want to taste my Christmas cakes ��

Anyway I don't particularly buy alcohol unless I really need it. What could I substitute for ther small amount of alcohol, 2 tbsp blackcurrant or raspberry liqueur (cassis or Chambord, used in this recipe. I have a selection of spirits and some cherry brandy. Or just leave it out

Shropshirelass

Sherry is traditional alcoholic improvement with which to doctor triffle. I think it improves with age, in the fridge or cold shed, but has never lasted longer than 5 days.

jackyann

If you use the cherry brandy, only use half the amount. I think that the only 'spirit' worthwhile using is brandy, the others are just wrong!
I use concentrated juice instead of alcohol (I make it up so it's about double drinking strength) - health food shops & 'quality' supermarkets seem to stock it. Once opened, you have to keep it in the fridge, but a small bottle then lasts ages. At this time of year, I use it to dilute mulled wine for drivers, or to make a non-alcoholic version. It also makes fantastic ice pops in the summer.

Also - hoping I'm not teaching my grandmother to suck eggs - if you normally don't drink, and only occasionally cook with alcohol - cooking drives the alcohol off, but obviously not in trifle which is not heated.

sillyvixen

My mum used to make 3 trifles - 1 for me (no jelly) 1 for my brother (no fruit) and 1 for her and dad (everything) - my trifle is sponge and sherry and custard (cream served seperatly) and lasts in the fridge 4-5 days so I will make mine Friday as it is my day off.

VfM4meplse

kah22 wrote: »

I'd like to do it this Sunday evening and I'm wondering would a week be to long to leave it sitting in the fridge?

I find the request very odd, purely because of the fridge space trifle takes up, which is often at a premium when preparing for Christmas! For that reason I usually leave it as late as I can and use ready made custard etc so the final dish becomes an assemblage.

nursemaggie

Trifle Freezes beautifully including in a crystal dish. I have a lovely crystal dish that belonged to my grandmother and maybe one of her family before as it is over 150 years old. It's been in the freezer a few times even for as long as 6 months.

They can be a bit of a nuisance if they are in the freezer too long because they are quite big. I found out they could be frozen when we had one and half left from a party.