These Individual Strawberry Trifles are decadent, rich and oh so delicious. Sherry soaked sponge, sweet strawberry compote, creamy vanilla custard all topped with a pillow of whipped cream. All served as an individual serving! Who could resist that?
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Why make individual desserts?
These Individual Strawberry Trifles are a great way to serve trifle.
So often trifle bowls are large and designed to serve at least 8-10 people. Perfect if you are serving a crowd, but if you just have 4 for dinner, you either have to serve double portions or eat trifle for breakfast the following morning.
(Shush!!! It has been known to happen in our house 😉 )
But with these individual strawberry trifles you have a beautiful pre-portioned, prepare ahead dessert for your next dinner party.
What is more, if you are serving kids (or people who can't/don't drink alcohol) you can easily prepare one or more using fruit juice rather than sweet sherry.
Which alcohol to add to trifle
I like to use sweet sherry here as the cake soaks everything up and a dry sherry just doesn't taste as nice. If you only have dry sherry at home then a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar mixed through it can make all the difference to this dessert.
A sweet madeira would also be delicious.
Can you make Trifle without alcohol?
You sure can, you can just replace the sherry with fruit juice. I would use sweetened apple juice so the cake layer stays cake coloured.
But if you aren't worried about the color of the cake then a cherry or sweetened cranberry juice would work well too.
What custard to use for trifle?
For the custard layer in these individual trifles, I use my Easy, Made from Scratch Custard. It is simple to make at home, but a good thick store bought custard will work just as well.
Does trifle have cake in it?
You can make trifle with sponge cake, spring fingers, ladyfingers (savioardi cookies), madeira cake, or a loaf cake.
Here I use a store bought vanilla sponge as it saves on time and the addition of alcohol adds enough moisture and flavor, that you don't miss the homemade element.
Enjoy x
For other individual pot desserts try:
- Salted Caramel Panna Cotta Cups
- Individual Tiramisu
- Passionfruit Pots
- Easy Chocolate Pots
- No Bake Mini Raspberry Cheesecake (I just make sandwiches)
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Individual Strawberry Trifle
Ingredients
- 1 small sponge cake
- 3 tablespoon Strawberry jam
- 2 cups custard
- 200 g fresh strawberries
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 6 tablespoon sweet sherry - see note 1
- 2 cups whipping cream
- icing sugar - for dusting
Instructions
- Cut the cake in half and use the jam to sandwich the slices together.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut 4 circles out of the cake and place them into 4 glasses. Cut the remaining cake up and fill the gaps.
- Spoon a tablespoon and a half of sherry into each glass.
- Reserve 4 strawberries and then hull the remaining strawberries and cut them into quarters.
- Divide the cut strawberries amongst the trifles.
- Sprinkle over the lemon zest over the strawberries.
- Spoon over the custard.
- Pour the whipping cream into a bowl and whisk until it forms soft peaks.
- Spoon this over the custard and garnish with a cut strawberry and a dusting of icing sugar.
Notes
- If you haven't got sweet sherry dissolve a tablespoon or two of brown sugar into your dry sherry. Alternatively use sweetened apple juice if you wish to make these alcohol free.
Anne Storey says
Just wondering if you do any 'make ahead' with these, I was thinking of building them the night before my dinner party to the custard stage, then just topping with the whipped cream, fruit & sugar before serving. Thoughts? I'm a huge fan of not being stuck in the kitchen when the interesting conversation is at the table!
Cheers
Claire McEwen says
Hi Anne,
That is exactly what I do. I get them to the custard step and then just keep them refrigerated until I want to serve them.
They will keep perfectly for 24 hours in the fridge. They do keep longer than that but I find after 36 hours the custard starts to thin and the cake gets a bit soggy.
But 24 hours before or the morning of the party is perfect 😀
Hope you are your guests enjoy them Cx
Lilly eck says
I would like to know what size glass you are using for the trifle?
Thank you
Lilly
Claire McEwen says
Hi Lilly,
Great question, I will add it to the recipe notes!
I used stemless wine glasses. They have a volume of 470ml/15.89fl oz.
Looking at them I would say they are the size of a red wine glass.
Hope that helps.
Dannii says
These look delicious! I love that they are individual sized, so they would be perfect for a dinner party.
Claire McEwen says
Thank you.
They are, and it saves having a half a trifle left in the fridge....because in my house I know one of the kids will decide they want that for breakfast.....
Emily says
Gorgeous photos Claire and what a lovely dessert!
Claire McEwen says
Thank you Emily 😀
Patty says
I've always loved trifles, specially when strawberries are involved! Looks delicious and so easy to whip up, can't wait to try your recipe!
Claire McEwen says
When strawberries are in season there is nothing better, is there 😀
I love desserts that are easy to make and can be made in advance!
Natalie says
I love strawberry desserts and these trifles look simply delicious! The combination of strawberry jam, sponge cake and cream is simply irresistible!
Claire McEwen says
It is such a classic combo isn't it.
Showing my quintessentially English roots 😉
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
These look delicious, you just can't beat a strawberry trifle. I am so tempted with big trifle bowls to eat the whole thing so an individual serving is great!
Claire McEwen says
Ha!!! It is so true!!!
And I know if there is dessert left over, at least one child (or Stew) will decide it is a valid breakfast choice!!!