Three easy recipes for glorious Christmas trifles

It's ironic that the word trifle means something of little importance, when for many people the dessert is the most important part of any Christmas meal.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, trifles owe their name to being “light, simple affairs”. 

Recipes for these scrumptious layered puddings date back to the 1590s. Most have three common ingredients: sponge cake soaked in booze, custard and whipped cream. They can then be dressed up with the addition of fruit.

Celebrity chef Mogau Seshoene, aka The Lazy Makoti, gives her trifle a sophisticated twist by adding red-wine-poached pears, while Sunday Times Food editor Hilary Biller favours a mix of fresh summer berries.

Try their recipes: