Eliza Acton presents us with several different trifles and trifle-like recipes – such as a ‘Tipsy cake’ and ‘Swiss Cream’ – in her 1845 book, Modern Cookery for Private Families. Often described as ‘the real Mrs Beeton’, along with Agnes B. Marshall, she was one of the finest cookery writers of her time and beyond. Acton writes with convincing determination in her voice and gives clear instructions. She also tells us to use an extraordinarily large quantity of alcohol in this trifle!
Mrs Beeton’s trifle in The Book of Household Management (1861) has sponge cake, macaroons and ratafias soaked in wine and brandy, a layer of grated lemon zest with sweet almonds, a raspberry or strawberry jam layer, a custard layer and a whipped cream topping – made of cream with egg white, sugar and sherry – that she calls ‘whip’; it resembles a syllabub but with added egg white.
