Black Forest Trifle (Chocolate & Cherry)
An impressive black forest trifle, made with chocolate Swiss roll, Amaretto chocolate custard, cherry pie filling & vanilla whipped cream! This is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Here’s my black forest trifle! If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen that I’ve been working on this recipe for the last few weeks & I’m super happy that it’s now ready to publish!
So this trifle is inspired by a black forest gateau, so it contains cherries, chocolate & whipped cream! More specifically, layers of chocolate cherry Swiss roll, Amaretto chocolate custard, cherry pie filling & vanilla whipped cream. Sounds good right?!
A black forest trifle is a great dessert to serve at Christmas or at New Year’s but it’s good anytime of year. Whenever you serve it, it makes a generous amount so it’s ideal for sharing! Plus, it can be prepared well ahead of time. What’s not to like?!
For more easy to follow dessert recipes, take a look at our dessert recipe collection! There’s something for everyone here, including homemade ice creams, chocolate cake, sticky toffee pudding, panna cottas & lots more.
Components Of A Black Forest Trifle
This trifle is inspired by a classic black forest gateau, so it combines cherries with chocolate & whipped cream. For our black forest trifle, we’ve gone with layers of chocolate Swiss roll (homemade is best!), a creamy amaretto chocolate custard, fruity cherry pie filling that’s flavoured with almond & vanilla (a compote essentially) & fluffy vanilla whipped cream!
All of these components work together fantastically & they’re all super easy to make. I’ve listed them below in the order that they’re layered up in, in our trifle!
Chocolate Swiss Roll
Where traditional trifles use lady fingers or vanilla sponge, our black forest trifle uses a homemade chocolate & cherry Swiss roll. This one has a soft chocolate sponge, cherry jam & mascarpone vanilla whipped cream (the same as in our trifle). Of course, you don’t have to make your own & a good quality shop bought Swiss roll will work but I’d recommend making one, as it really doesn’t take that long to do!
To use the Swiss roll for out trifle, all we need to do is cut it into 10x 1cm thick slices. If you’ve made your own, you’ll probably need to trim each end off. You can eat this as a snack!
Amaretto Chocolate Custard
Next, we have a creamy chocolate custard that’s made like a pastry cream but with the addition of Dutch processed cocoa powder, dark chocolate & a generous amount of Amaretto liqueur.
This chocolate custard is super easy to make & is prepared the same way as a regular egg custard/pastry cream. We warm milk, cream, vanilla, sugar & cocoa powder up until steaming hot then whisk half of it into egg yolks & cornflour, to temper. The yolks then get added back into the milk then we cook the custard out, whisking constantly until it is thick & just beginning to bubble. If you take the temperature of the custard with a food probe, it should be around 85°c/185°f once cooked.
To finish the custard, we add in butter & chopped dark chocolate then stir to melt. I then like to give the custard a quick blitz with a stick blender to make it as smooth as possible before stirring in the amaretto liqueur (off the heat). Now we can pass the custard into a container through a sieve, cover the surface with a piece of clingfilm (to stop a skin forming) then chill in the fridge until completely cold & set. This will take at least 4 hours & we’ll be giving the custard a quick whisk before using, to loosen off the texture slightly.
Cherry Pie Filling (Compote)
The cherry component of this black forest trifle is a essentially a cherry pie filling! It’s also similar to a cherry compote. This is made by cooking whole, dark cherries (take the pits out!) with sugar, butter, lemon juice & a pinch of salt in a pan until soft & juicy then we thicken it up by stirring in a cornflour & water slurry. To finish, we stir in vanilla paste & almond extract. Your cherry pie filling sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon & the cherries should be soft but still hold their shape.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
You can’t make a trifle without fluffy whipped cream! I’ve made mine with the addition of mascarpone which stabilises the whipped cream, meaning that it will retain its’ texture for longer. This is the same filling as my chocolate cherry Swiss roll & it’s made by simply whisking mascarpone, double cream, icing sugar & vanilla paste to soft peaks. We’ll be using half of the whipped cream as a layer inside the trifle & the rest for piping on top!
Toppings
When it comes to trifle toppings, simple is best! As this is a black forest trifle, I went with a few fresh cherries & a generous amount of grated dark chocolate. You can top your trifle however you like though!
Black Forest Trifle Assembly
For the neatest trifle layers, it’s key to gently spread each component into an even layer so that they don’t mix together! As long as your custard, fruit & whipped cream are all made correctly and you take your time with assembly, you’ll have a neat, properly layered trifle that’s sure to impress!
- First, add a layer of Swiss roll slices into the bottom of your trifle bowl, overlapping them slightly to make an even layer. I used 5 slices of Swiss roll per layer for my trifle!
- Spoon half of the chocolate custard on top of the Swiss roll, spreading it out so that it completely covers the cake.
- Next, spoon half of the cherry compote over the custard, again making sure that it’s in an even layer & that it completely covers the custard. Make sure not to mix the cherries & custard together though!
- Spoon half of your whipped cream on top of the cherries then spread it out gently to cover the cherries. This is the layer that is most likely to mix together, so do this carefully!
- Now it’s just a case of repeating the layers. So we add another layer of Swiss roll on top of the cream then another layer of custard & another layer of cherries. We’ll be topping the trifle with cream, to serve but at this point it needs to chill in the fridge for at least an hour so that every layer can set nicely. Your trifle bowl should be almost full at this point as well, with a small amount of room at the top, to pipe on some cream.
- To finish the trifle, we’re going to pipe whipped cream on top in your desired pattern (I went with small peaks!) then stick a few fresh cherries on top & grate over some dark chocolate.
Trifle Tips & Tricks
- For the best results, make your own Swiss roll! I’d recommend making one of my chocolate cherry Swiss rolls but any good chocolate Swiss roll will work.
- Make sure to let each trifle component cool (or set) completely before using, otherwise your layers can mix together & they won’t be as neat.
- Let your trifle chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. This gives each layer time to set properly!
- Use a large serving spoon to scoop your trifle, so that you can some of every layer in each portion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Black forest trifle needs to be stored in the fridge & is best eaten within 3 days. To keep your trifle fresh, it’s best to cover the top with clingfilm.
The best way to scoop a trifle is to use a large serving spoon! This way, you can scoop through all of the layers in one go.
Either fresh or frozen cherries will work for cherry compote for trifle! If you’re using frozen cherries, it’s best to defrost them first & if you’re using fresh cherries, make sure to remove the pits! It’s best to use dark cherries for trifle as they have a sweeter flavour.
Yes, the whipped cream can be made without mascarpone but be advised that it won’t stay fluffy for as long. Adding mascarpone to whipped cream stabilises it! If you’d like to omit the mascarpone, replace it with extra double cream.
More Dessert Recipes To Try!
- Sour Cream Chocolate Cake With Dark Chocolate Sauce
- Dark Chocolate Mousse
- Classic Cherry Pie
- Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta With Poached Rhubarb
- Amaretto Tiramisu
- Chocolate Orange Fondants
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Black Forest Trifle
Equipment
- 3½ Litre Trifle Bowl
- Stand Mixer
- Stick Blender
- Mixing Bowl
- Microplane/Grater
Ingredients
- 1 Chocolate Swiss Roll (10 Slices – See Notes)
Amaretto Chocolate Custard
- 500 g Whole Milk
- 400 g Double Cream
- 80 g Caster Sugar
- 15 g Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- ½ A Vanilla Pod (Or 1 tsp Vanilla Paste)
- A Pinch Of Sea Salt
- 70 g Egg Yolks
- 40 g Cornflour
- 200 g Dark Chocolate (72% Is Best! – Chopped Into Small Pieces)
- 60 g Unsalted Butter (Chopped Into Small Pieces)
- 30 g Amaretto Liqueur
Cherry Pie Filling
- 800 g Dark Cherries (See Notes)
- 150 g Caster Sugar
- 50 g Lemon Juice
- A Pinch Of Sea Salt
- 20 g Cornflour
- 20 g Cold Water
- 1 tsp Almond Extract
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 600 g Double Cream
- 150 g Mascarpone
- 80 g Icing Sugar (Sifted)
- 2 tsp Vanilla Paste
Toppings
- Fresh Cherries
- Dark Chocolate (For Grating)
Instructions
Amaretto Chocolate Custard
- Place 40 grams of the caster sugar, the cocoa powder & salt into a medium saucepan then whisk in 100ml of the milk to dissolve the cocoa.
- Add in the rest of the milk, the cream & vanilla pod then set over a medium-low heat & cook until steaming hot, stirring frequently. If you're using a vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds then add both the seeds & pod into the milk.
- Next, add the yolks, cornflour & remaining 40 grams of sugar into a mixing bowl then whisk until combined & smooth.
- Once the milk is steaming hot, pour half of it into the yolks, whisking as you do so. Pour the now tempered yolks into the pan of milk.
- Cook over a medium heat, whisking constantly until the custard is thick & starting to bubble. If you take the temperature of the custard with a food probe, it should be around 85°c/185°f once cooked.To check if the custard is ready, stop whisking every 20-30 seconds once it has thickened. If a few bubbles appear & pop, the custard is ready. Be careful not to overcook it though!
- Once the custard is cooked, take the pan off the heat then add in the chopped chocolate & butter. Leave for 30 seconds then whisk the custard, to melt the chocolate.Take the vanilla pod out before adding in the chocolate & butter, if you've used one.
- Next, give the custard a quick blitz with a stick blender then stir in the amaretto. Pass the custard into a container through a sieve then cover the surface with a piece of clingfilm. Leave to cool then chill in the fridge until completely cold. This will take at least 4 hours but overnight is best.Blending the custard makes it extra smooth but is optional! Covering the surface of the custard stops a skin forming on top.
Cherry Pie Filling
- Add the cherries into a large saucepan, along with the sugar, butter, lemon juice & salt. Set the pan over a medium-low heat & cook, stirring frequently until the cherries have softened slightly & they have released lots of juice. This will take 5-10 minutes.Give the cherries a taste before thickening, adding in more sugar if needed.
- Whilst the cherries are cooking, place the cornflour & water into a bowl then stir to make a smooth paste.
- Once the cherries are ready, turn the heat up to medium then stir in the cornflour paste. Continue cooking, stirring regularly until the juice has thickened, this will take 2-3 minutes. The juice needs to be just bubbling, in order to activate the cornflour.
- Take the pan off the heat then stir in the vanilla paste & almond extract. Transfer the filling to a container, leave to cool then chill in the fridge until completely cold. This will take a few hours at least but again, overnight is best.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream – Make Just Before Assembling The Trifle!
- Add the mascarpone, icing sugar, vanilla paste & 150g of the double cream into the bowl of a stand mixer then whisk for 30 seconds on a medium-low speed, to break up the mascarpone.
- Next, add the remaining 450 grams of double cream into the bowl then whisk on a medium speed until you've got gently whipped cream that's reached soft peaks.Make sure not to over whisk the cream!
- Transfer half of the whipped cream into a piping bag & chill in the fridge until needed. Keep the rest of the cream in the bowl.
Assembly
- Cut your chocolate Swiss roll into 10 x 1cm thick slices. If you've made your own, trim each end off first if needed.
- Next, transfer the chilled chocolate custard into a mixing bowl then whisk briefly until smooth.You can do this by hand or with an electric hand mixer. You just need to whisk the custard to loosen if off slightly (to make it more spoonable if you will!).
- Now to layer up the trifle. First, place 5 slices of Swiss roll into the bottom of the trifle bowl, overlapping them slightly to make an even layer.
- Spoon half of the chocolate custard over the Swiss roll, spreading it out so that it completely covers the cake. Spoon half of the cherry pie filling on top of the custard, followed by the whipped cream (from the mixing bowl).
- Next, add another layer of Swiss roll on top of the cream, followed by another layer of custard & another layer of cherries then chill the trifle in the fridge for at least an hour before finishing & serving.Your trifle bowl should be almost full at this point. There should be a small amount of room to pipe some cream on top though! There's a visual guide for this in the post above.
- To finish the trifle, pipe the remaining whipped cream on top (in your desired pattern) then place a few fresh cherries on top. Grate a generous amount of dark chocolate on top of the trifle then serve.
