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Easy Chocolate Trifle

December 1, 2018 by Lucy Parissi 14 Comments

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Chocolate trifle with sparklers

This stunning Chocolate Trifle is the perfect quick and easy Christmas dessert! It can feed a crowd, be made ahead of time and requires almost zero effort.

You will also love Christmas Tree Brownies

Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure

Chocolate trifle with sparklers

Today is my blog’s sixth birthday! And I only realised it this morning which made me feel pretty awful – I usually plan a big cake or festive dessert to celebrate the occasion.

By the time realisation dawned, it was far too late to bake something from scratch. But fear not… it’s (cheat’s) chocolate trifle to the rescue!

This spectacular chocolate pudding is a perfect last-minute dessert if you cunningly employ a few shortcuts. It requires zero cooking and zero baking making it just the thing for novice cooks – or even those who can’t boil an egg!

Although this chocolate trifle is perfect for Christmas, it is also suitable for any large celebration or kid birthday party as it feeds up to 10 people easily. Plus you could have the kids decorate the final layer if you like.

What is a trifle?

I must admit the first time I heard of trifle was probably through that famous Friends episode in which Rachel attempts to make a ‘Traditional English Trifle’ from scratch.

As you may recall she accidentally combines the trifle recipe with the one for Shepherd’s Pie making a dessert that “tastes like feet!” (even though Joey didn’t seem to mind).

A proper trifle is a layered dessert made of cake or ladyfingers soaked in sherry, vanilla custard, fruit and lashings of whipped cream. Sometimes there’s jelly involved too! The layers are repeated if the trifle dish is really deep.

Stunning chocolate and Nutella trifle in a glass trifle dish

What is in my cheat’s chocolate trifle?

Though I always advocate baking from scratch – and indeed cooking most meals from scratch – I have embraced convenient store-bought products with both arms in this recipe.

Ideally you should use a trifle bowl for this recipe but any large bowl can be used as well.

  • Cake layer: store-bought Swiss Roll or you can use any chocolate cake or even brownies.
  • Instead of Sherry (which would be all wrong here) I have used Baileys Irish Cream. If you don’t want to include any alcohol you could replace this with a little coffee.
  • Custard layer: I used store-bought vanilla custard and mixed it with chopped chocolate and Nutella… I need not tell you it tastes amazing! If ready-made custard is not available you can use instant pudding mix.
  • I added a layer of crushed Oreos over the custard… because why not! You could skip that or replace the Oreos with other types of cookies or more cake.
  • Whipped cream: this is literally the only bit of actual hands-on effort. I whisked double cream, Baileys, vanilla and icing sugar together until it held medium peaks. I would advise against using Cool Whip or anything of that type if you can.
  • Toppings: chocolate shavings, Maltesers, icing sugar and chocolate syrup. But you could use whatever you like here.

How to make chocolate trifle

Step 1: Pour the custard into a bowl and add chopped chocolate and 2-3 heaped tablespoons Nutella. Heat in the microwave for one minute, stir and heat for another minute.

Stir together until the chocolate melts and custard is smooth. If you have time you should chill the custard while you prepare the rest of the trifle so it has time to firm up a little.

making chocolate custard
Layering trifle bowl

Step 2: Slice one Swiss Roll cake and line the bottom and sides of a trifle bowl (or a large glass bowl). Cut small pieces of cake to wedge in any small gaps.  Drizzle the Baileys over the cake – it will absorb quickly.

Step 3: Pour the custard over the cake-lined trifle bowl and chill (if you have time).

Step 5: Scatter the chopped Oreos over the custard if using.

Chocolate trifle

Step 6: Put the icing sugar, double cream, Baileys and vanilla in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to whisk on very low speed to combine. Increase the speed to maximum and whisk until you have medium -firm peaks. You can also do this in a stand mixer.

Step 7: Pipe (or spoon) the cream over the trifle. If you are making this in advance then chill after you pipe the cream and add any toppings just before you serve.

Adding whipped cream to chocolate trifle

Step 8: Drizzle with chocolate syrup, scatter with chocolate shavings, Maltesers and dust with icing sugar.

Chocolate trifle recipe

MORE RECIPES FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS

Christmas tree brownies

These festive Christmas tree brownies are the perfect holiday treat! Quick and easy to make and perfect for sharing.
Read More
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Chocolate Orange Cake

This delicious Chocolate Orange Cake is so easy to make - simply add all your ingredients in a bowl, whisk and bake. Cover with glossy chocolate orange glaze and decorate with Terry’s Chocolate orange segments – swooooon!
Make sure all your cake ingredients are at room temperature before starting this recipe.
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Molten chocolate lava cakes

These molten chocolate lava cakes (also known as chocolate fondants) hide a core of gooey chocolate inside their sponge shell. A delicious and easy dessert in your Instant Pot or oven.
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HAVE YOU MADE MY CHOCOLATE TRIFLE RECIPE? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day 🙂 Make sure to also check out my Easter Trifle made with, what else, hot cross buns!

TO SHARE THIS RECIPE, THEN PLEASE DO SO BY USING THE SHARE BUTTONS PROVIDED. DO NOT SCREENSHOT / POST RECIPE OR CONTENT IN FULL.
Chocolate trifle with sparklers

Easy chocolate and Nutella trifle

Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
This stunning chocolate and Nutella trifle is the perfect quick and easy dessert! It can feed a crowd, be made ahead of time and requires almost zero effort.
4.69 from 22 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Continental
Keyword: chocolate trifle, Simple trifle recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 650kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 g | 1lb 1oz store-bought vanilla custard (or pudding mix)
  • 150 g  | 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or chocolate, finely chopped)
  • 3 tbsp Nutella
  • 450 g | 1 lb Swiss roll cake , sliced
  • 3 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream or coffee
  • 10 Oreos , roughly chopped
  • 500 ml | 2 cups double (heavy) cream
  • 200 g | 1 ½ cups icing sugar
  • 3 tbsp Baileys
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Chocolate syrup , to drizzle
  • Chocolate shavings , to decorate
  • Maltesers or chocolate truffles , to decorate
  • Icing sugar to dust (optional)

Instructions

  • Pour the custard into a bowl and add chopped chocolate and 2-3 heaped tablespoons Nutella. Heat in the microwave for one minute, stir and heat for another minute.
  • Stir together until the chocolate melts and custard is smooth. If you have time you can chill the custard while you prepare the rest of the trifle.
  • Slice the Swiss Roll and line the bottom and sides of a trifle bowl (or a large glass bowl). Cut small pieces of cake to wedge in any small gaps.
  • Drizzle the Baileys over the cake – it will absorb quickly.
  • Pour the custard over the cake-lined trifle bowl and chill (if you have time).
  • Scatter the chopped Oreos over the custard.
  • Put the icing sugar, double cream, Baileys and vanilla in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to whisk on very low speed to combine. Increase the speed to maximum and whisk until you have medium -firm peaks. You can also do this in a stand mixer.
  • Pipe (or spoon) the cream over the trifle. If you are making this in advance then chill after you pipe the cream and add any toppings just before you serve.
  • Drizzle with chocolate syrup, scatter with chocolate shavings, Maltesers and dust with icing sugar.

Video

Notes

The trifle will keep in the fridge for a couple of days – best made one day in advance or on same day you are serving.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 650kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 929IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @supergolden88 or tag #supergoldenbakes!
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Comments

  1. Dawn Monagle says

    December 16, 2021 at 4:03 pm

    5 stars
    Lucy this was DELICIOUS! And so easy to make. Definitely a 5-star from me. And Liam loved making it with me, not least so he could eat more Oreos and Maltesers along the way!
    Dawn
    X

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      December 16, 2021 at 7:09 pm

      So lovely to hear ❤️😘😘😘😘

      Reply
  2. Lynda says

    November 24, 2021 at 12:37 am

    If allergic to hazelnut, what would be a good substitution?

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      November 24, 2021 at 9:18 am

      Hi Lynda, you could use a nut-free chocolate spread or perhaps a cookie butter spread

      Reply
  3. Rumana Akhtar says

    May 31, 2019 at 2:36 am

    how big is the dish?

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      May 31, 2019 at 12:12 pm

      I used a medium sized bowl it has around 7.5 cups capacity. You could use a bigger bowl and double the layers if preferred – you might want to double the ingredients too if it is a very deep dish

      Reply
  4. Lathiya says

    December 05, 2018 at 11:07 pm

    5 stars
    The chocolate Nutella trifle is double celebrating moment for chocolate lovers…sometimes cheat way to use store bought items using in our dish is awesome to make the dish easy

    Reply
  5. mandy says

    December 05, 2018 at 9:47 pm

    5 stars
    What a fabulous recipe Lucy! This both looks and sounds gorgeous and I think would be extremely popular in my house especially with the small people.

    Reply
  6. Mayuri Patel says

    December 05, 2018 at 7:52 pm

    5 stars
    Happy 6th Anniversary. Perhaps not getting time to bake a festive cake worked out well; otherwise how would you have tempted us with this stunning dessert and the clicks are awesome.

    Reply
  7. Bev says

    December 05, 2018 at 5:30 am

    5 stars
    I’ve never had a trifle before but The Great British Bakeoff made me want to try making one. Yours is absolutely stunning and while I feel a little intimidated I am so excited to get to baking!

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      December 06, 2018 at 9:33 am

      Well this one doesn’t involve ANY baking! It’s very much a cheat’s trifle 😉

      Reply
  8. Cat | Curly's Cooking says

    December 04, 2018 at 2:54 pm

    5 stars
    This looks amazing and I love the flavours you have used. Anything with Nutella in it has my vote!

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      December 04, 2018 at 4:23 pm

      mine too! 😉

      Reply
  9. Hazel says

    December 01, 2018 at 10:18 pm

    This looks stunning and happy 6th Blogversary 🙂

    Reply

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HEY, NICE TO MEET YOU!

Picture of Lucy ParissiHi, I am Lucy Parissi, the recipe developer, food  photographer and author behind Supergolden Bakes. If you are looking for easy sweet and savoury recipes that are packed with flavour you have come to the right place!  READ MORE

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