We have reached the last appointment of the year with the Light and Tasty recipes, an appointment that we dedicate every year to Christmas and that today, in particular, wants to enhance the red color that creates such a Christmas atmosphere. 😀 But today here in our house it is also candle-blowing day! (it’s my better half’s turn!). Oh yes, those who have their birthday during Christmas week know what it’s like, with that atmosphere that makes you feel Christmasy regardless of the occasion, and you never know how to celebrate this birthday. 😃 But today I’m revealing how I solved the dilemma: I present to you the zuccotto of English trifle, the birthday cake of our Christmas birthdays!

A dessert with a beautiful red color, Christmasy enough, and the birthday celebrant’s favorite. 😍

The English trifle is a timeless dessert, reminiscent of home and family traditions, and cannot be missing on special occasions. Do you agree with me, right?

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Here are other dessert ideas for Christmas day:

Rest time: 2 Hours
Preparation time: 1 Hour
Portions: 6
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons, Christmas

Ingredients

☝ This recipe is in an eggless version (both creams are eggless and with plant-based milk), a necessary choice as this is a recipe for Light and Tasty. It’s a lighter version that I hope won’t raise eyebrows among traditional recipe purists, and that I recommend trying because I’ve made it several times and it turns out delicious. Then in the process, I will also include the instruction to make the recipe with custard. 😀

eggless custard
eggless chocolate cream
ladyfingers (about 30, depending on the size of the mold)
alchermes (as needed, approximately 1 glass)

Tools

1 Mold
2 Small Pans
1 Bowl

Steps

First, prepare the two creams, with some advance so they have time to cool down.
Follow the recipe for the eggless cream and let it cool.
Follow the recipe for the eggless chocolate cream and let it cool.
For those who wish to use custard, here at this link is my classic recipe. In this case, to make the zuccotto, you need to prepare a double dose of cream, then divide it and add about 50 g of chopped dark chocolate (quantity can be modified as desired) to one half (immediately, while it’s hot). Stir to melt the chocolate, then let it cool.
Dilute the alchermes with water.
☝ I eyeball the water-alchermes proportion, approximately two-thirds alchermes and one-third water. The quantity of alchermes I listed in the ingredients is indicative, I usually prepare the soaking without weighing anything and then make more as needed.
👉 Not everyone dilutes alchermes, some use it pure because they prefer a more alcoholic trifle (obviously if the dessert is not intended for children) or they dilute it with other spirits like brandy, rum, or sassolino (an anise-flavored liqueur). Some dilute alchermes with sugar water or a syrup obtained by boiling water and sugar.
😊 I prefer to dilute it with water, pure and simple water, otherwise the dessert turns out too strong (i.e., too alcoholic) or too sweet.
After soaking the ladyfingers, arrange them in the mold covering the bottom and sides.
Pour the first layer of cream.
Cover the cream with a layer of soaked ladyfingers.
Pour the layer of chocolate cream.
Finish with another layer of soaked ladyfingers.
👉 Depending on necessity or the size of the mold used, you can repeat the layers.
Cover the mold with a plate or cling film, and let the zuccotto cool in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours.
Then unmold it onto a plate.
And here is your zuccotto of English trifle in birthday cake version. 😀
Here is the whole zuccotto…
(Those following me on Facebook may remember when I shared this photo with the candle! 😃)
…and here is the sliced zuccotto (half eaten!). 😋
How delicious is the English trifle from 1 to 100❓ For me 300❗