Rhubarb & Custard Trifle

Light and fluffy cardamom custard, rhubarb compote with fresh raspberries, and nilla wafers, this Rhubarb & Custard trifle is full of flavor and texture. Plus it’s so easy to make and you don’t even need to turn your oven on.

What can I use instead of Rhubarb?

If you don’t have access to rhubarb I recommend cooking down a mixture of peaches (white peaches are ideal) and raspberries into a thick compote. Start with about half the sugar because the peaches aren’t as tart as the rhubarb. If you don’t have forced rhubarb aka the super pink one, I would make this compote. It includes raspberries to create that beautiful pink color! Alternatively you can just just raspberries and not even cook them down, you’ll just need quite a few more.

What is a good Nilla wafer alternative?

I love using Nilla wafers for this pudding/trifle but other shortbread or sugar cookies can work too! That being said if I was making this without nilla wafers, I would bake my Yogurt Plum cake but with raspberries instead and cut it into lady finger sized pieces.

Can this be made in advance?

Yes! This recipe should be made a minimum of 12 hours before you plan to serve it so that the wafers have a chance to soften and all of the flavors can meld.

Additional Recipes to try!

• Rhubarb Chiffon Cake
• Black Forest Ice Cream Sundae
• Puff Pastry Cake

Tips for making a Rhubarb & Custard Trifle

• If you don’t have access to rhubarb I recommend cooking down a mixture of peaches and raspberries. White peaches are ideal and start with about half the sugar. Alternatively using just fresh raspberries will work too but you’ll need about twice as many on each layer.
• If you don’t have forced rhubarb aka the super pink one, I would make this compote. It includes raspberries to create that beautiful pink color!
• If you don’t have nilla wafers you can use something like graham crackers or teddy grahams. Alternatively I would bake my yogurt plum cake but with raspberries instead of plums and then cut the cake into smaller pieces.
• This can be stacked in any bowl or dish you have but I like it best in something clear so you can see the layers. The bowl I used is kind of like a medium sized shallow bowl. If you want to use a deep trifle dish you’ll want to double all the elements of the recipe.
• Cardamom is a fun and yummy addition to the custard cream but it is optional and will be delicious without it too! If using cardamom I recommend grinding your own black cardamom just using the seeds rather than the pre-ground cardamom which includes the pods. Pre-ground cardamom looks a bit grey when added to the custard.
• I like topping this with fresh raspberries but you can top it with anything you want including crushed nilla wafers, whipped cream, or poached rhubarb.

Ingredients

• Rhubarb: Forced (aka the super pretty pink kind) or regular rhubarb work! If using regular rhubarb I recommend making this compote with rhubarb and raspberries instead to maintain the pink color!
• Sugar: Standard white granulated sugar is used for the compote and the pudding.
• Orange: Orange zest and juice are added to maintain the brightness of the rhubarb without making it more sour. Lemon can also be used!
• Corn Starch: Starch thickens the pudding. I usually use corn starch but tapioca, arrow root, or potato starch will work too.
• Milk: Good quality whole milk is best for this pudding because it will make it creamy and flavorful.
• Salt: A bit of fine sea salt balances out the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
• Vanilla: Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste will work for this cream filling.
• Cardamom: If possible you want to use cardamom seeds which are black and grind them yourself but if not, pre-ground cardamom will work too.
• Heavy Cream: Be sure to use heavy whipping cream for the whipped cream in the cream filling.
• Nilla Wafers: I LOVE nilla wafers in this, they soften perfectly but keep their structure. If you can’t find them, other cookies like graham crackers or teddy grahams would work too. See the tips section for more alternatives.

How to make a Rhubarb & Custard Trifle?

Rhubarb Compote

• Rinse and chop the ends off of the rhubarb stalks. Chop the rhubarb into 1″-2″ chunks and add them into a medium pot.
• Pour in the sugar and then add in the orange zest and juice.
• Place over medium low heat and cover with a lid. Cook covered for about 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble. The lid on will keep the rhubarb from burning.
• Once it starts to bubble, remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring every five minutes until you are left with a thick syrupy type of sauce.
• Pour the compote into a large shallow bowl and leave to cool to room temperature. Use same day or store covered in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

Vanilla Cardamom Cream

• In a medium pot, whisk together the corn starch and 100 grams of sugar. Then pour in the milk and whisk to combine. Add in the egg yolks, salt, vanilla, and ground cardamom seeds and whisk once more.
• Place the pot over medium low heat and whisk constantly scraping the bottom and edges of the pot. It will feel like it’s taking a while but all of a sudden it’ll get really thick so don’t stop whisking.
• Once thick, remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth.
• Pour the pudding through a fine mesh sieve into a large shallow bowl or on a quarter sized baking sheet. Cover the surface with a layer of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Allow it to cool completely before moving onto the next step.
• Pour the cold heavy cream into a large bowl with with 50 grams of sugar and whip on high until medium stiff peaks form.
• Transfer the cooled pudding into a medium mixing bowl and give it a quick beat with a whisk or mixer.
• Add about a quarter of the whipped cream and fold it into the whipped pudding. It’s ok if you knock a bit of the air out with the first addition. Once completely incorporated, add the remaining cream in 2 additions, using a flat rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding.

Layering the trifle

• Once all the elements are ready, it’s time to layer the trifle.
• Choose the dish you want to use and start with a single layer of nilla wafers. Layer with a bit of cream, about 1/2″ thick.
• Then add on a thin layer of the rhubarb compote followed by a few raspberries. Add on another thin layer of cream just to cover the fruit, about 1/4″ thick.
• Repeat with the wafers, cream, rhubarb, raspberries, and more cream. Continue until everything has been used up or you reach about 1/2″ from the top of the bowl. Make sure the last layer is a thicker layer of cream about 1/2″ thick.
• Cover the surface with a sheet of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and place it in the fridge to set for at least 12 hours.
• When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and cover the surface with fresh raspberries or whatever you want to top it with.
• Use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to serve!

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