Description

This Irresistibly Indulgent Christmas Pavlova Trifle Delight is a decadent layered dessert combining luscious custard, whipped cream, fresh summer fruits, and crunchy vanilla and flavored meringue kisses. Perfect for festive occasions, this trifle layers fruit soaked in lemon juice and sugar with silky custard and light whipped cream, topped with crisp meringues for a delightful texture contrast. The dessert is chilled to meld flavors, making it an elegant and refreshing treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Custard and Cream

2 cups thickened cream (whipped to soft peaks)
1.5 cups full cream milk
5 large egg yolks (from Coles Free Range Eggs)
0.5 cups caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
30 g unsalted butter (cubed and softened)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

Fruit Mixture

250 g cherries (halved and pitted)
1 white and yellow peach (pitted and cut into wedges)
1 white and yellow nectarine (pitted and sliced)
0.25 cups lemon juice
0.25 cups caster sugar (to enhance the flavor of the fruits)
250 g raspberries

Additional

100 g Coles Vanilla Meringue Kisses
100 g Coles Flavoured Meringue Kisses

Instructions

Heat Milk and Cream: Place the milk and thickened cream into a medium heavy saucepan. Stir occasionally and gently bring to a simmer over medium heat until warm and fragrant but not boiling.
Whisk Egg Mixture: In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, caster sugar, and half a teaspoon of sea salt flakes vigorously for about 3 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
Combine and Thicken Custard: Gradually whisk the hot milk and cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs smoothly. Transfer back to a clean saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for about 3 minutes until the custard thickens.
Finish Custard: Remove custard from heat and whisk in the softened butter and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a shallow container to remove any lumps. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until thickened.
Prepare Fruit Mixture: In a separate bowl, combine halved cherries, sliced peaches and nectarines with lemon juice and caster sugar. Let the fruit macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes to enhance flavors, then gently fold in the raspberries.
Assemble Trifle: In a glass serving dish, spoon one-third of the fruit mixture as the first layer. Follow with one-third of the chilled custard, a layer of whipped cream, and then one-quarter of the vanilla and flavored meringue kisses. Repeat these layers two more times.
Decorate and Chill: Finish by scattering the remaining meringue kisses on top of the final cream layer. Chill the completed trifle in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving to allow the layers to meld and flavors to develop.

Notes

Use fresh, ripe fruits for the best flavor and texture in the trifle.
Whip the cream to soft peaks so it blends well but still holds shape in layers.
Macerating the fruit with lemon juice and sugar helps release natural juices and sweetens the mix.
Straining the custard ensures a silky-smooth texture without lumps.
Keep the assembled trifle chilled to maintain freshness and improve flavor melding.
This dessert is best enjoyed within a day for optimal texture of meringues.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Australian

Keywords: Christmas dessert, pavlova trifle, layered dessert, meringue trifle, festive dessert, custard trifle, fruit trifle, holiday dessert