This is a truly delicious dessert treat, I hope that this Ambrosia Trifle inspires you to give an old recipe a new makeover this Christmas. 

Each year I like to create a truly decadent delicious new Christmas recipe to provide you with an idea for a true Christmas Showstopper. This year I wanted to bring you something so easy to make but so pretty that you will be the talk of the party! 

Ambrosia is a classic dessert that has been appearing on tables here in New Zealand for generations. My lovely Aunty Dianne has been making this for our Christmas day desserts since I was a little girl.

I finally asked her for the recipe and then realised I could fuse it with another classic Kiwi dessert, the trifle for something truly special. 

Ambrosia is a combination of whipped cream, yoghurt, fruits, marshmallows and often grated chocolate. Sometimes called Summer Salad, or dessert, it has been around for years. You can find my recipe for it here 

I have shared the more traditional version here with boysenberries, but the options are endless in terms of fruits you can use and the flavour of yoghurt. As long as the yoghurt is a sweetened fruit yoghurt it will work perfectly. 

Because of using the boysenberries that has led to me using mixed berries and a mixed berry yoghurt, but if you use peaches and apricots you can change up the liquid you use and the flavour yoghurt. Truly make it your own. 

Traditionally trifle uses some form of alcohol to pour over the sponge, this adds extra flavour and does not leave the sponge too dry. Here I have left out the alcohol but an orange liquor would be lovely added to the boysenberry juice. 

There is some contention as to whether trifle sponge should be soaked in liquid and therefore soggy or left dry. I fall somewhere in the middle, I like to add a little liquid to soak in and add flavour but not so much it is mush! 

This is such an easy to assemble recipe, it can be made ahead and enjoyed the next day or 6 hours time. I always find trifles are best the next day, and of course I highly encourage this as a breakfast food too! 

You will need

• Cream

• Fruit Yoghurt

• Marshmallows

• Can of Boysenberries & Juice

• Chocolate

• Large Sponge Cake

• Raspberry Jelly

• Frozen Mixed Berries

• Extra toppings to serve

You will need to prepare the jelly the night before, I set this in a square baking tin so that it is only a few cm high. 

First you prepare the Ambrosia. Then you prepare all of the ingredients while that chills slightly and begin to layer these until you have done two layers. You will require a large trifle bowl for this, mine is 3.5 litres and it was full!

I usually make this the night before and this allows the Ambrosia to set and the flavours to blend well. You can decorate the top just before serving. With what is up to you!

I have used a combination of fresh strawberries, marshmallows, frozen blueberries and grated chocolate. You could add a few mint leaves to be extra festive.

Would you like another version of trifle that is totally divine and cream free? Check that out here 

I hope this recipe makes an appearance on Christmas tables all across the world! 

Onto the recipe for Ambrosia Trifle 

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Ambrosia Trifle

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes

Delicious Christmas Recipe, using Ambrosia and classic trifle flavours.

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Ingredients

Ambrosia

• 400mls Cream
• 375 mls Yoghurt, Mixed Berry
• 1 x 425g Can of Boysenberries, drained, reserve juice* See notes
• 220 Grams Marshmallows, cut in half, reserve ten for topping
• 50 grams Chocolate, grated

Trifle

• 1 large Premade Sponge Cake
• 2 - 3 Cups Mixed Frozen Berries
• 1 Packet Raspberry Jelly, made ahead

Optional

• Orange Liquor for the boysenberry juice

Topping

• Fresh strawberries
• Reserved Marshmallows
• A few frozen blueberries
• Chocolate, grated

Instructions

1. The day before prepare the jelly according to packet directions and pour into a square baking dish and allow to set completely before preparing trifle. The jelly should only be 1.5 cm high
2. On the day of preparation make the Ambrosia first
3. Prepare the marshmallows, slice them in half, drain the boysenberries (set aside the juice in a jug) and grate the chocolate
4. In a medium bowl pour in the cream and using electric beaters whip for 2-3 minutes on low to medium until the cream begins to froth or foam
5. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the cream thickens and leaves a trail. Beat until soft peaks form, see below for details. Careful not to overbeat.
6. Add to the cream the yoghurt and gently fold into the cream until well incorporated
7. Add to this the chopped marshmallows, drained boysenberries and grated chocolate and gently combine
8. Set aside in the refrigerator to keep cold while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
9. Slice the sponge into 2-3 cm chunks, run a sharp knife through the jelly down and across to create 1 cm chunks
10. Add the reserved boysenberry juice to a jug, if adding a liquor add a small amount of this now
11. In a large 3.5L Trifle bowl add half the sponge chunks to cover the base of the bowl.
12. Carefully pour over half the boysenberry juice until it has given some colour to the sponge but not so much it soaks it
13. Add the jelly squares all over the sponge pieces and half the frozen berries
14. Over this carefully spoon in half the Ambrosia, and spread with a spatula to smooth
15. On top of this add the remaining sponge chunks, lightly pressing them down.
16. Pour over the rest of the boysenberry juice, again not to soak just to colour and the remainder of the mixed frozen berries
17. Carefully spoon over the remainder of the Ambrosia and carefully spread this to cover the trifle.
18. Place lightly covered in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight
19. When ready to serve slice up some fresh strawberries, the reserved marshmallows halved, a few frozen blueberries and grate some more chocolate to sprinkle over.
20. Serve while cold.
21. Will keep for up to 2-3 days if covered and stored well in the refrigerator.
22. Enjoy!

Notes

*Boysenberries - if your chosen berries are proving hard to find use any canned or frozen, or fresh berry you like! Even canned peaches or plums would be lovely. In terms of the juice, you can use OJ, Ribena, or the juice from the can.

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I hope you love how easy and special this is and cannot wait to hear what you think

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Happy Baking

Anna

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