Rhubarb and Custard Trifles
These pretty pink trifles aren’t just impressive to look at, they’re utterly scrumptious too! We’ve combined the tartness of rhubarb with creamy vanilla custard to create a decadent-tasting dessert that takes us back to our childhood. A drop of gin takes the rhubarb flavours to the next level, but if you’d rather skip the alcohol, you can use apple juice instead. Grab a spoon and dig in!
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories230
- Carbs27g
- Protein7.2g
- Fat9.8g
- Saturates4.8g
- Sugars13g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
These Rhubarb and Custard Trifles make the most of a classic flavour combination. The sharp rhubarb flavours are a perfect pairing with thick and creamy homemade custard, while the sponge fingers drink up the boozy combo of rhubarb juices and gin (or apple juice, if you fancy skipping the alcohol!).
It’s delightfully simple to assemble the layers for this recipe. The rhubarb only needs 20 minutes or so in the oven, before it’s cooked through and finished soaking up the granulated sweetener scattered on top.
Bear in mind that rhubarb tastes so much better when it’s in season (between January and March). You may need to sweeten the recipe a little more than we’ve suggested here, to accommodate for the sharp flavours, if you’re using greener rhubarb.
Top with a swirl of low-fat cream and crushed ginger biscuits for the perfect finish! A proper hearty British dessert, we honestly don’t think you can beat serving this one after a roast dinner with all the trimmings.
What diets are these Rhubarb and Custard Trifles suitable for?
These Rhubarb and Custard Trifles are suitable for vegetarian diets.
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Rhubarb and Custard Trifles?
The best rhubarb to use for this recipe is forced Yorkshire rhubarb which is available between January and March. This is more tender than outdoor grown rhubarb and has a beautiful, vivid pink colour.
You can use outdoor rhubarb when forced rhubarb is out of season BUT you’ll find that the colour is more green and you may need to add a little more sweetener (it tastes sharper than forced rhubarb).
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There’s no better topping for these trifles than crumbled ginger nuts!
We usually serve our pretty pink trifles in ice cream dishes.
How many calories are in these Rhubarb and Custard Trifles?
There are 230 calories per portion in this Rhubarb and Custard Trifles, which means they fall into our Everyday Light category.
To cut down the amount of calories even more, you can simply halve the portion size and serve with a healthy accompaniment!
These Rhubarb and Custard Trifles are perfect if you’re following a calorie-controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Step 2
Scatter the rhubarb over a baking sheet, coat with the sweetener and cover with tin foil.
Step 3
Place in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes. The aim is to have soft rhubarb that holds its shape and has released its juices, but it can fall suddenly. Don’t worry if this happens. It will still taste fab.
Step 4
Drain the juice into a small bowl and stir in the gin (or apple juice).
Step 5
Break up one sponge finger into the bottom of each trifle dish, add a spoonful of juice and then a layer of rhubarb.
Step 6
Repeat with another layer of sponge, juice and rhubarb. Spoon over a little more juice if the sponge looks too dry. Cover and refrigerate while you make the custard.
Step 7
Pour the milk into a small saucepan and place over a medium to high heat, until it just starts to boil. Keep an eye on it as it can boil over very quickly!
Step 8
Whisk together the egg yolks, sweetener, vanilla and cornflour until smooth.
Step 9
When the milk has come to the boil, remove from the heat.
Step 10
Whisk the milk into the egg mixture. Do this a little at a time to begin with to temper the eggs. If you pour it in too fast, the eggs may scramble. As the heat from the milk warms the eggs, you can pour the milk in faster, whisking all the time.
Step 11
Pour the custard back into the saucepan and return to a low heat, stirring all the time, until it thickens and bubbles break the surface. Cook for around 2 minutes, and taste to ensure the cornflour has cooked out and the mix doesn’t taste powdery.
Step 12
Remove the trifles from the fridge and pour the custard evenly over. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours until set.
Step 13
When you are ready to serve, spray 25g of light aerosol cream on top and sprinkle over the crushed biscuit for decoration. Enjoy!
What could I serve with Rhubarb and Custard Trifles?
These Rhubarb and Custard Trifles are the perfect end to any meal for a Special Occasion. We like to serve them after a roast dinner, if we’re feeling fancy!
How do you know when Rhubarb and Custard Trifles are ready?
You’ll need to oven-bake the rhubarb for 20 minutes before you can start assembling your trifle layers.
Once all of your layers are in (sponge fingers, rhubarb and custard), the trifles will need a minimum of 2 hours in the fridge to fully set.
How long can you keep Rhubarb and Custard Trifles in the fridge?
Ideally you should eat Rhubarb and Custard Trifles within 4 hours of serving. You can keep trifles in the fridge for 1 or 2 days but it’s important to cover them and store them in the fridge BEFORE you have added the cream topping
If you refrigerate them with the aerosol cream on top, there is a chance that the cream will collapse and need to be added again before serving.
Can I freeze Rhubarb and Custard Trifles?
This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
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Rhubarb and Custard Trifles
These Rhubarb and Custard Trifles look and taste so impressive, you'd never know they're slimming friendly. Grab a spoon and dig in!
-
Prep Time
10 MINS
-
Cook Time
30 MINS
- KCals 230
- Carbs 27G
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Scatter the rhubarb over a baking sheet, coat with the sweetener and cover with tin foil.
- Place in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes. The aim is to have soft rhubarb that holds its shape and has released its juices, but it can fall suddenly. Don't worry if this happens. It will still taste fab.
- Drain the juice into a small bowl and stir in the gin (or apple juice).
- Break up one sponge finger into the bottom of each trifle dish, add a spoonful of juice and then a layer of rhubarb.
- Repeat with another layer of sponge, juice and rhubarb. Spoon over a little more juice if the sponge looks too dry. Cover and refrigerate while you make the custard.
- Pour the milk into a small saucepan and place over a medium to high heat, until it just starts to boil. Keep an eye on it as it can boil over very quickly!
- Whisk together the egg yolks, sweetener, vanilla and cornflour until smooth.
- When the milk has come to the boil, remove from the heat.
- Whisk the milk into the egg mixture. Do this a little at a time to begin with to temper the eggs. If you pour it in too fast, the eggs may scramble. As the heat from the milk warms the eggs, you can pour the milk in faster, whisking all the time.
- Pour the custard back into the saucepan and return to a low heat, stirring all the time, until it thickens and bubbles break the surface. Cook for around 2 minutes, and taste to ensure the cornflour has cooked out and the mix doesn't taste powdery.
- Remove the trifles from the fridge and pour the custard evenly over. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours until set.
- When you are ready to serve, spray 25g of light aerosol cream on top and sprinkle over the crushed biscuit for decoration. Enjoy!
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