Greek melomakarona trifle
A layered trifle made with Greek melomakarona (orange, nut and honey) cookies layered with a homemade orange custard, oranges, chopped cookies, walnuts and topped with an orange flavoured whipped cream. This is a show stopping dessert, and would make a great center piece to your holiday table.
Growing up in a Greek home we always had melomakarona cookies during the holidays, especially around Christmas! These orange and walnut cookies, dipped in honey, are perfect for the periods of lent which precede both Christmas and Easter, because they contain no eggs, and no dairy. In the past few years, Helen and I have had a great time coming up with creative ways to use up leftover melomakarona, or to transform this already incredible cookie into something extra special. In previous years there has been Melomakarona cheesecake, Melomakarona cinnamon rolls and Melomakarona ice cream cake.
This year I have created a melomakarona trifle. Guys, this is a showstopper! What a gorgeous dessert, and what a special way to end a holiday meal. You get different textures, flavours that complement one another, and it is the type of dessert that can be made ahead so that they day of your gathering, you have nothing to do but serve it!
Why I love it
This Greek melomakarona trifle has a lot going for it!
Simply gorgeous
I love a dessert that looks as impressive as it tastes. I love the way trifles showcase their various layers through the glass bowl. I remember the “wows” which this dessert elicited when I first showed it to my guests.
Celebrates the great flavour of melomakarona
Although this dessert takes melomakarona cookies and transforms them into something different, the great flavour of the cookie is not lost. Every bite reminds you of the superb orange, honey, cinnamon and nut flavour. This dessert reminds us why the cookie itself is so great!
Easy to make
A trifle requires no baking; if you don’t want to bake the cookies you will use, you can purchase them in a Greek bakery, (Having said that, I really think you should bake the cookies using this melomakarona cookie recipe). The rest of the trifle is made on the stovetop (for the custard) and the rest is just about layering.
Key ingredients
Melomakarona cookies You will need between 25 and 30 of these Greek honey soaked walnut and orange cookies to make this trifle. You can either purchase them at a Greek bakery or make them yourself using this melomakarona cookie recipe. They are amazing!
Orange pudding mix or cornstarch I like to use the Greek Jotis brand of pudding mix. The variety pack includes several flavours, including orange. If you cannot find Jotis brand pudding mix any orange pudding mix will do. I also give you suggestions in the actual recipe for using cornstarch instead of the pudding mix, if that is all you can find.
Milk I used lactose free 2% milk fat milk because that is often what I have in the refrigerator. However, any dairy milk would be fine. Of course, the richer the milk, the richer the custard will be.
Butter I use unsalted butter. I bring it to room temperature simply to make it easier to melt as it gets heated along with the milk and other ingredients when making the custard.
Sugar To sweeten the orange custard I use granulated white sugar.
Eggs I use large eggs that I have brought to room temperature.
Honey I like to use Greek or locally sourced honey to add a bit more sweetness to my trifle. I drizzle it over the layer of cut up melomakarona, walnuts and oranges.
Oranges The juicier the orange, the better! I use a sharp knife to remove the peel, the pith and to segment the oranges. Before that, I am sure to zest the oranges so that I can add the orange zest to the custard.
Walnuts There are walnuts in the melomakarona cookies, and I like to add more to the trifle itself! The walnuts are a great way to add some texture to the trifle.
Whipped cream I use 35% whipping cream to make the whipped topping for the trifle. Light, fluffy, creamy – it is the best!
Icing sugar This is a great ingredient to use to sweeten the whipped topping. There is no concern that you would have granulated bits of sugar – the icing sugar is smooth and perfect.
Orange extract Orange extract goes a long way to add some orange flavour to the whipped cream topping.
How to make it
Make the custard
The custard will need to set in the refrigerator for several hours so you will need to plan ahead. Making the custard itself is pretty easy however.
Step 1
Whisk your eggs together in a small bowl and then combine all of the custard ingredients in a large pot. Cook the custard over medium heat for about 10 minutes until it is thickened. It is important to stir constantly to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pot.
Step 2
Once the custard is thickened, transfer it to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 hours until it is set.
Assemble the trifle
Making a trifle is all about layering. You can use your imagination in how you layer your trifle, but this is how I like to do it:
Step 1
Place enough melomakarona cookies in a food processor or blender to make 4 cups worth of melomakarona crumbs. Place them in the bottom of your trifle bowl and pat down with the back of a glass or spoon.
Step 2
Top with half of the custard. On top of the custard place chopped up melomakarona cookies, walnuts, and orange segments.
Step 3
Add the rest of the custard and the rest of the cookies.
Step 4
Make the whipped cream by combining the whipped cream, icing sugar and orange extract. Whip until you get stiff peaks and then add this to the top of your trifle.
Step 5
Return the trifle to the refrigerator and allow to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe substitutions
Pudding mix
I like to use the Jotis brand of pudding mix. This Greek brand can be found online or imported to Greek bakeries and markets. The variety pack contains several flavours, including orange. You will need two packs of the orange custard (although you will not use them completely). If you don’t want to buy two of the assorted packs of pudding mix, then you can use all the orange mix and add a bit of the vanilla packet to bring you up to the total amount you will need.
If you don’t find the Jotis brand of pudding mix, no worries. You can use another variety of orange flavoured pudding mix.
If you cannot find any orange flavoured pudding mix, then you can use cornstarch. If you will use cornstarch, use 8 tablespoons of it and add 2 teaspoons of orange extract and a total of 4 tablespoons of orange zest.
Milk
You definitely need milk to make the orange custard, but you can use any dairy milk you like. It can be skim, full fat, lactose-free…whatever. The custard would also work with non-dairy milk, but you do need the eggs so regardless the custard would not be vegan.
Oranges
You can use fresh oranges in the trifle or you can use canned mandarin segments. The latter is definitely easier, but you have to be sure to drain them well.
Orange blossom water
Instead of using orange extract, you can use orange blossom water; the taste will be somewhat different, but still great!
Helpful hints
When it is feasible to do so, I would recommend that you make the whipped cream topping right before you serve the trifle. This will make sure that it is as light, and fluffy as possible.
Remove moisture from custard – After chilling your custard you may find that there is some water from condensation that has accumulated on its surface. This is most likely to happen if you covered your still warm custard before placing it in the refrigerator. Use paper towels to gently dab the surface of your custard to remove the moisture.
Recipe variations
Instead of making one large trifle you can serve individual trifles by layering your dessert in mason jars (250 ml would be ideal) or glasses. This is a great option if you are serving many desserts and are not sure that you will serve your entire trifle or if you don’t have a trifle bowl.
Frequently asked questions
How do I serve trifle?
To be honest, trifle is a bit of a messy dessert. You will need a large spoon, with a handle long enough to reach down into the bottom of your trifle bowl. Then scoop, and plate. The combination of custard, cookies and cream will be a dollop on the plate, but no worries! This is the joy of trifle, and every bite is a delight!
How far in advance can I make trifle?
I recommend making your trifle between 4 – 24 hours before it is served. For the best presentation you can added the whipped cream topping right before it is served, to keep it as fresh and fluffy as possible.
What can I use instead of a trifle bowl?
If you don’t have a trifle bowl, you can use any glass bowl, like a punch bowl or a mixing bowl. Alternatively, you can use glasses or mason jars to make individual servings of trifle.
Related recipes
Layered dessert with custard are always amazing. If you like this Greek melomakarona trifle recipe, I think you will also like these desserts:
Greek ekmek kataifi with apple – Custard and whipped topping dessert with syrup soaked pastry A twist on the Greek classic ekmek kataifi. This one is inspired by the flavours of apple pie, and it is absolutely delicious!
Greek Ekmek Kataifi – Custard and whipped topping dessert with syrup soaked pastry The classic! Creamy vanilla custard, syrup soaked kataifi and a whipped cream topping finished with crushed pistachios. So good!
Galaktoboureko The traditional Greek baked custard dessert! This is my dad’s recipe for galaktoboureko, and it is as wonderful as he is!
Serving size
This trifle recipe will easily serve 12 people.
How to serve
You will need a large, long handled serving spoon to serve the Greek melomakarona trifle.
Greek Melomakarona trifle
Equipment
- 1 trifle bowl
- 1 Food processor or blender
Ingredients
To make orange custard
- 1¼ liters milk
- 8 tbsp Jotis orange flavoured pudding mix See Recipe Note
- 3 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 7 large eggs
- 2 tbsp orange zest
You will also need
- 25-30 melomakarona cookies
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments See Recipe Note
- ¼ cup honey
For the whipped cream topping
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 2 tsp orange extract
Instructions
Make orange custard
- In a small bowl whisk the eggs. Set aside.7 large eggs
- In a large pot combine the milk, butter, Jotis orange pudding mix, sugar and whisked eggs.1¼ liters milk, 8 tbsp Jotis orange flavoured pudding mix, 3 tbsp butter, unsalted, 3/4 cup sugar
- Bring the heat up to medium and cook your custard for approximately 10 minutes or until thickened. After 2 minutes or so, add in the orange zest. Continue to stir constantly with a whisk for a few more minutes (for a total of about 10 minutes). It is important to whisk constantly during this time to prevent the custard from burning.2 tbsp orange zest
- Once your custard is place in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 3 hours until the custard is set. See Recipe Note.
Assemble the trifle
- Begin by placing some of your melomakarona cookies in a food processor or blender and pulsing them until you create a fine crumb. You should end up with 4 cups of crushed melomakarona. The number of melomakarona you will need to obtain 4 cups will depend on the size of your cookies. We used 16 of our cookies. Chop the remaining melomakarona into chunks.25-30 melomakarona cookies
- Place the crushed melomakarona crumbs in the bottom of your trifle bowl. Press down with the back of a spoon to make it compact.
- Take the custard out of the refrigerator, give it a stir and add half of the custard to the top of the crushed melomakarona. Spread it out evenly. On top of the custard add half of the chopped melomakarona pieces. On top of that, add the chopped walnuts.1 cup chopped walnuts
- Place your orange segments on top of the crushed walnuts. Try to place some directly onto the side of the bowl, so that they are visible when your trifle is assembled. Drizzle evenly with the honey. Top with the remaining custard; smooth the top. Finally, add the remaining crushed melomakarona cookies.2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments, ¼ cup honey
To make the whipped topping
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand held mixer) combine the whipping cream, icing sugar and orange extract. Whip until you can create peaks with the cream. Spread evenly to top the trifle. Return to refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.2 cups whipping cream, 2 tbsp icing sugar, 2 tsp orange extract
Notes
An additional 2 tablespoons orange zest Remove moisture from custard – After chilling your custard you may find that there is some water from condensation that has accumulated on its surface. This is most likely to happen if you covered your still warm custard before placing it in the refrigerator. Use paper towels to gently dab the surface of your custard to remove the moisture before using. Instead of using fresh orange you can use canned orange or mandarin segments. Drain well before using in the trifle.