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12:10 AM 4th December 2021
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New Research Reveals Winning Formula For The Perfect Trifle

 


Last Christmas, Del Monte® revealed that trifle is the UK’s all-time favourite Christmas dessert, with 41% of people favouring it over Christmas pudding (33%). But what does the perfect British trifle actually look like?

In a new YouGov poll conducted in October 2021 and commissioned by Del Monte®, 2,240 British adults, including 509 people in the North of England, were asked what their perfect trifle would be and this is what they revealed:

Just like Granny’s:

In the poll, more than half (60%) of the participants from the North who celebrate Christmas revealed that their families sometimes or always, have trifle during the festive period. When asked about their preferred trifle making approach, 45% (51% in Yorkshire and the Humber) of adults in the North agreed that they prefer a traditional, classic recipe “exactly like my grandmother used to make it”. Those who had previously made trifle served it in a traditional glass bowl (61%) or family heirloom bowl (11%).

But does nostalgia get the better of us and is the perfect trifle recipe perhaps more about how we like to remember our favourite childhood dish? When asked to select the proportion of ingredients they would use in the ideal trifle, Northerners created one that was over two fifths custard and jelly (22% and 21% respectively)! Equal amounts of sponge (18%) and cream (18%), a generous portion of fruit (16%), plus a splash (6%) of liqueur complete the rest of the winning formula.

Getting fruity:

When it comes to the fruit in trifle, it seems there’s little argument. 67% of adults surveyed in the North agree that a trifle is not a trifle without fruit, and for two fifths (41%) their favourite canned fruit to add to a trifle was a Fruit Cocktail. Mandarins are also popular amassing 21% of the vote, with Peaches coming a close third being the first choice for 18%. At Christmas time, demand for its popular Del Monte® Fruit Cocktail increases by over 50% nationwide at Christmas (55% in December 2020).

Sherry, but no cherry please:

It was also revealed that the perfect Northern trifle would feature a whopping 6% of our favourite tipple – sherry or a classic liqueur. But only 6% of Northerners who had eaten trifle before chose a single cherry on top of their trifle as their favourite topping, while a quarter (23%) revealed that they favoured chocolate shavings.

Taste is all important with 75% of those surveyed in the North agreeing that the taste of a trifle is more important than the way it looks. One in five (17%) admitted that, when making trifle, their approach is all about convenience, with ingredients coming from cans and packets. Whereas for Gen Z (18 -24-year-olds), nearly a quarter (23%) surveyed nationwide said reducing food waste best described their approach, stating that they “hate to see anything go to waste and would use leftovers in their trifle creation” if they could.

Martin Tilney, Senior Commercial Director for Del Monte® UK and Europe, says;
“With many families unable to get together to celebrate last year, there is definitely added buzz and excitement for Christmas 2021 and a real craving for nostalgic and traditional foods, such as the much loved trifle.

“According to our research, over half (60%) of people in the North who celebrate the season regularly enjoy a trifle at Christmas and many of us prefer our trifles ‘just as Granny used to make it’. Interestingly, we also found that convenience is a big consideration and people are willing to use pre-prepared ingredients in order to save time, which in turn may mean that they spend less time in the kitchen and more time with families.”

Last but not least, we’re not sure if Granny will approve or not, but a staggering 37% of Northerners like to embrace the Christmas spirit, believing a trifle is not a trifle without a novelty decoration on top!

For the Perfect British Trifle recipe and more trifle ideas, please visit: https://www.delmonteeurope.com/

Merry Christmas!