Well Easter is done and dusted for another year and there is chocolate everywhere.
We did the easter vigil mass last night and decided to be brave and take the whole family. And now that it’s behind me I can say it wasn’t that bad. I mean mass was beautiful but two hours sitting in a row with my 2 and 4 year old and a baby on my lap is a bit of a workout in patience, jiggling, shushing, quick exits, singing and paying attention. But we did it and that’s before my death stares and looks that say be quiet down the row to the big 3 kids who make the most of my attention being diverted elsewhere. But everyone did so well and I love the Easter vigil with the lights out, the candles, the music, the adults being baptised and the readings. And looking over at grandma who likes a quick mass not a 2 hour one. Ahhh the memories. That’s what we’re doing. Making memories.
Now Easter Sunday also happened to be the end of daylight saving but we forgot so we got up at the very reasonable 7.20am without realising clocks had gone back. It took us an hour to realise and then put the kitchen clock back and I was no longer in a rush to get the lamb into the oven for the 4 hours it takes to cook. I really should plan special lunches around putting your clocks back because usually it’s a race against time but today was much more leisurely when I gained an hour.
I also had time to make the trifle this morning because I had no energy last night. And I have a trifle confession. I’m not a big fan. The kids and hubby love it but not me. I’m not sure what it is that I don’t like but everyone wanted trifle for dessert so trifle it was. You don’t really need a recipe for it and could substitute what you like. Making custard in the thermomix was a breeze (if you have the new TM5 it’s on the automated recipes and I chose normal custard) and I just popped it in the freezer to cool it down and use it.
The kids set the table and love doing it including place cards (always good to have a girl who likes making things) and I’m just making the most of their enthuisiasm.
It was our little guy’s first easter and he loved it. Give him a piece of toast or a crusty bit of roll and he’s happy as anything.
Our little elodie got straight into the easter egg hunt and created her own easter egg hunts all afternoon which was fun.
and this was as close as I could get to a family photo! There’s always next time……………..
I hope you had a lovely Easter
- 2 packs jam rollettes
- 500mls custard
- 300mls thickened cream
- 2 Tbsp icing sugar
- 1 jelly sachet
- 1 punnet strawberries (sliced) or whatever fruit you feel like/have
- chocolate to grate for top (optional)
- Slice each jam rollette into halves (or thirds) and lay in the bottom of a glass bowl or serving dish. I did a mixture of halves and thirds.
- Lay the rollette slices around the base and sides of the bowl/dish. As you make this trifle you want to layer it from side to side but also want to make it nice to look at through the glass
- Make jelly the night before or an hour before you need it (and pop in the freezer to speed up). You don't need the jelly totally set but you don't want it too runny. Break up jelly with a spoon and pour over the layer of cake evenly.
- Now you want to lay strawberries around the side of the bowl above the cake layer and I put a layer of strawberries on top of the jelly too. Think about that presentation :)
- Pour custard over the strawberries and spread evenly. I like a bit of custard peeping through the sides. You can use store bought custard or make it yourself and chill until you need it.
- Place another layer of jam rollettes across the top (and if you have enough you could have them facing out too but I lay mine flat. It really depends on the size of your glass bowl and how many rollettes you've got left.
- Whip cream with a tablespoon or two of icing sugar until it's nice and thick. Spread out across the trifle. Wipe any excess cream that might have stuck to the sides above your cream layer for presentation purposes (trust me, I speak from experience here with my tiramisu!)
- Wrap bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate to eat the same day.
- If you want to make this for the next day then I find adding the cream on the day you serve is best and the trifle can keep a little longer (not that you want to keep it that long).
- And the best part is to grate chocolate over the top of the cream (a Flake chocolate bar also does the trick or you could be healthy and slice some fruit and pop on the top)
- Serve and enjoy and make sure you get a bit of each layer as you plate up. The kids will love it.
Happy Easter to you and your family, Corrie. Easter has just begun for us here on the west coast of Vancouver Island, and it’s a gorgeous sunny day. Perfect for Easter egg hunts. Your family looks lovely, Finn is almost as tall as Keria, and baby Lawson is so sweet.
Love a good trifle, one of my favs. I always use peaches as the fruit and of course some sherry!! Yum Yum
I don’t like trifle either. It is/was always a family gathering staple and the table looks bare without it, but it’s not for me.
Happy Easter Corrie to you and your family xxxxxxxxxxx
Loved your description of Easter Corrie. So true – you are making memories. I did hide eggs again this year and only had a 19 year old and a 22 year old to hunt. But hunt they did. And they love it. I do have to look for gluten free eggs but they are becoming more available. I was greeting at church yesterday and saw a woman with a 2 1/2 year old who was behaving like a 2 1/2 year old can – not a full bore tantrum but rolling on the floor. I went up to her and said don’t worry – I had 3 girls and there were days like this too – don’t feel people are judging you because they aren’t – it is more important to come to church. She gave me a hug. I know at times I wondered if folks thought I was a bad mother when mine would misbehave (sometimes so badly I left the cart in the grocery store and went home). I think we need to support parents when they are dealing with some of the irrational stages of life. I love Elodie and her egg hunts. So fun. And trifle – yuck!
I can’t believe how big Elodie is getting (she looks like a young Tilly in the last photo)! Happy Easter to you all!!
Isn’t it funny how the family will LOVE something and you don’t. In our house it is rocky road. I can’t stand the stuff yet the rest of the family gobble it up. But I must admit, it is a great easy dessert/treat to feed a crowd.
We had an Easter egg hunt with cousins ranging from 6 to 19. It was great fun and it is all about making memories.