All the ways to deep dive into trifle

Trifle has become the unofficial queen of the decadent summer dessert. With a layer to suit everyone, it was only a matter of time...

Summer trifle with tropical fruits Source: The Great Australian Cookbook

Across the country, tables will be groaning under the pleasurable weight of alcoholic sponge, fruit, jelly, custard and cream. A merrier dessert than trifle would be hard to find.

It might have originated in England sometime in the 16th century, but these days the trifle is surely a bonafide Aussie citizen. So much has the classic recipe been trifled with, it's basically morphed into a brand-new dessert. The 'strifle' perhaps?

Summer called and it wants to dunk its cares into a trifle. We've got your covered!

A Turkish delight

Shaking up this traditional English dessert are flavours from Turkey and Australia - say goodbye to Grandma's recipe. Source: Alan Benson

This Turkey-inspired trifle is proof of Australia's expertise in mashing up cultures to create perfection. Madeira cake and strawberries are soaked in rosewater, the jelly is port wine flavoured, the custard has a spritz of lemon and the vanilla cream is rose-scented. Heaven scent-ed, more like.

Banoffee and bacon rebellion

Serve this dish in individual glass jars to complete your trifle rebellion. Source: Angie Mosier/Andrews McMeel Publishing

A banana, toffee, chocolate, shortbread mash-up shows that when it comes to trifle, anything goes. Yep, we said it. Please don't call the trifle police...

Pimped classic

Pavlova-style trifle decoration adds to the festive feel. Source: John Laurie

This is the trifle they made before pimping trifles became a thing. It's all here: the tinned fruit, jam sponge roll, desiccated coconut and... bavarois. Wait a minute...

Freshly minted

There is a flavour surprise in every mouthful. Source: Alan Benson

Putting anything into trifle format makes it better. Here, brownies get the trifle treatment to huge acclaim.

Made with myrtle

Layer on the cream! Source: Warndu Mai (Good Food)

If any trifle has earned the strifle title, it's this Illawarra plum & lemon myrtle limoncello version. Creamy, tart, boozy and memorable.

Ottolenghi revamp

Only a little lavender is needed to flavour this French take on the dessert classic. Source: Ottolenghi

A very French version of the trifle, Ottolenghi layers crème fraîche, apricots, honey and walnuts with amaretto-soaked madiera, then sprinkles lavender petals over the lot.

Express saver

Bright and rosy and packing a boozy punch. Source: Donna Hay: Fast, Fresh, Simple

Hosting a festive lunch is stressful enough without having to wrangle a complicated dessert. These flash raspberry trifles will take just 15 minutes to put together.

Tiramisu perk up

Cumquat ricotta balances a generous hit of coffee and marsala. Source: Matthew Evans

A tiramisu-inspired trifle, with coffee-and-marsala soaked finger biscuits soaking up cumquat-scented ricotta. Marmalade will also do if cumquats are hard to come by.

Add a lamo

Dive straight into chocolate chiffon cake layered with whipped cream and raspberry sauce, garnished with crunchy coconut toffee. Source: Lyndey Milan's Baking Secrets

Injecting lamington flavours into a trifle is pure genius. Step straight up to the strifle plate, lamington trifle!

Tropical twist

Pineapple, coconut and mint make one fresh and fruity breakfast dessert. Source: Pineapple and coconut trifles with lemon myrtle (Outback Gourmet)

A little pinch of cayenne adds just the right amount of punch to this tropical trifle. It's a lighter version of trifle, using yoghurt and fresh fruit in place of jelly, cream and custard. Which means breakfast trifle is now a thing.

Extra fruity

Every summer fruit you love makes its way into this show-stopper trifle. Source: The Great Australian Cookbook

Venturing far into pavlova territory with this one. Layers of meringue, mango and passionfruit jelly and two types of cream make this trifle endlessly spoonable.

Iced VoVo

When raspberry, coconut and marshmallow meet the jam sponge roll and ridiculous amounts of cream. Source: Bake Australia Great by Katherine Sabbath

The iconic flavours of the Iced VoVo bicky make a brilliant base for trifle magic. Katherine Sabbath's dessert is so good looking you probably won't want to eat it. Nah, that's not even remotely true.

Semolina layers

This is definitely not your run-of-the-mill trifle! Source: John Laurie

Basbousa, revani, ravani – whichever name it goes by, the Middle Eastern sugar syrup-laden semolina cake makes the perfect base for a trifle. Topped with custard, sour cherry jelly, meringue, cream and chocolate halva, the rich layers add plenty of wow-factor.

Beach rum

Pack these trifles into screw-top jars so they're perfectly portable. Surf's up! Source: Tropical Gourmet

White rum brings the booze and tropical fruits the punch. Justine Schofield suggests bringing these mini rum and coconut trifles down to the beach, which is exactly what we'll be doing.