This is a Baileys Triple Chocolate Trifle – a dark chocolate flourless sponge base covered in thick Baileys Original Irish Cream infused milk chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate and Baileys whipped cream.
It’s a sinfully delicious dessert that’s perfect for a dinner party or night in with the girls. This is what you could be enjoying tonight…
It’s really simple to make – the sponge is made airy and light by beating egg whites until stiff, then combining back with egg yolks, sugar and dark chocolate, which makes it decadent and fudge-like. SO GOOD.
Of course, a chocolate dessert isn’t nearly as special as a Baileys chocolate dessert, and that’s what makes this trifle the perfect treat for a special social occasion.
Here’s how to make 4 pretty large desserts, as pictured, or you could make 8 small ones.
Ingredients
Chocolate sponge
- 175 g (6.2 oz) dark chocolate plus 2 squares
- 6 large free-range eggs must be room temp
- 175 g (6.2 oz) caster sugar
- 1 tbsp Baileys
Baileys ganache
- 300 ml (10.1 floz) double cream
- 100 ml (3.4 floz) Baileys
- 400 g (14.1 oz) milk chocolate
Baileys cream
- 250 ml (8.5 floz) double cream
- 2 tbsp drinking chocolate powder
- 50 ml (1.7 floz) Baileys
Equipment
Instructions
Make the sponge layer
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F (170C/340F fan assisted) and line a swiss roll tray with baking paper.
- Melt the dark chocolate (except the 2 squares), then leave to cool until almost room temp, but still liquid.
- Break the eggs and put the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and ribbon-like, then fold the cooled chocolate into it.
- Whisk the egg whites until really stiff – it’s easiest to use an electric mixer – then fold them bit by bit into the chocolate mixture as gently as you can.
- Pour the mixture into the tin and level off.
- Bake for 20 minutes until risen, then remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
- Turn the cooled sponge out and peel off the used paper, then break the sponge into roughly inch pieces – it’s very light and airy so should break easily.
- Press quarter of the sponge pieces gently into the bottom of a dessert glass.
- Pour 1 tbsp of Baileys per glass over the sponge layers.
Baileys chocolate ganache
- Put the cream and Baileys in a saucepan until just beginning to simmer.
- Break the milk chocolate into a bowl and pour the heated cream mixture over it. Stir until it melts together, forming a glossy ganache.
- Allow the ganache to cool to room temp, then share between each glass, pouring over the sponge – resist the urge to eat!
Baileys cream topping
- Whip the cream and Baileys until you have very soft peaks.
- Add the drinking chocolate powder and whisk briefly until just slightly more firm.
- Spoon the whipped cream mixture into each dessert glass, working into peaks.
To finish
- Chill for an hour to set.
- Finely grate the remaining dark chocolate over each dessert before serving.
Some tips for getting the best trifle possible and how to store it safely
How long will a trifle keep? Will it get soggy?
As long as it’s refrigerated once made a trifle will last in the fridge for or 3 days, but don’t expect the texture to be the same.
The longer it’s in the fridge the more time the trifle base has to go soggy and the cream to lose its firmness.
Would the recipe work out if you made smaller serving?
Yes, simply dole the trifle out in smaller glasses or bowls for a great treat at a party.
Would the recipe work as one large chocolate trifle?
I haven’t tried it, but I believe it should work, just make sure you give it plenty of time in the fridge as it will likely take longer to set
Can I make this trifle in advance?
You can make it the evening before which will also give the trifle plenty of time to set. Just put/them in the fridge in an airtight container (or with a well-covered top).
While best eaten the next day they should last in the fridge for two days.
What else can I do with Baileys?
If you liked this recipe, you can find more inspiration on the Baileys recipe pages. And do check out my No Bake Baileys Cheesecake, my Baileys Hot Chocolate Pudding and my Chocolate cake with Baileys cream and Galaxy ganache. Also see Sarah’s amazing Baileys chocolate cupcakes.
Why didn’t my trifle chocolate set?
If it’s been at least overnight since you put your trifle in the fridge and it still hasn’t firmed up you should doublecheck the quantities you used were correct and didn’t scold or burn the ganache while cooking which can hurt the texture.
Where does trifle come from?
Traditional trifle usually consists of sponge and custard with a whipped cream topping. It has been served to eager Britons for several hundred years and popular variations include jelly or, in the case of the trifle in this recipe, using a creamy ganache.
Where does Baileys come from?
Baileys Original Irish Cream first reached the lips of the nation in 1974. It’s a unique blend of Irish Whiskey, fresh dairy cream, vanilla and chocolate essences and today, over 2,300 glasses of Baileys Original Irish Cream are consumed every minute of every day.
Print this Baileys chocolate trifle recipe
Here’s the recipe for that luxurious Baileys triple chocolate trifle again in a printable format.
Luxurious Baileys triple chocolate trifle
Ingredients
Chocolate sponge
- 175 g (6.2 oz) dark chocolate plus 2 squares
- 6 large free-range eggs must be room temp
- 175 g (6.2 oz) caster sugar
- 1 tbsp Baileys
Baileys ganache
- 300 ml (10.1 floz) double cream
- 100 ml (3.4 floz) Baileys
- 400 g (14.1 oz) milk chocolate
Baileys cream
- 250 ml (8.5 floz) double cream
- 2 tbsp drinking chocolate powder
- 50 ml (1.7 floz) Baileys
Instructions
Make the sponge layer
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F (170C/340F fan assisted) and line a swiss roll tray with baking paper.
- Melt the dark chocolate (except the 2 squares), then leave to cool until almost room temp, but still liquid.
- Break the eggs and put the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and ribbon-like, then fold the cooled chocolate into it.
- Whisk the egg whites until really stiff – it's easiest to use an electric mixer – then fold them bit by bit into the chocolate mixture as gently as you can.
- Pour the mixture into the tin and level off.
- Bake for 20 minutes until risen, then remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
- Turn the cooled sponge out and peel off the used paper, then break the sponge into roughly inch pieces – it's very light and airy so should break easily.
- Press quarter of the sponge pieces gently into the bottom of a dessert glass.
- Pour 1 tbsp of Baileys per glass over the sponge layers.
Baileys chocolate ganache
- Put the cream and Baileys in a saucepan until just beginning to simmer.
- Break the milk chocolate into a bowl and pour the heated cream mixture over it. Stir until it melts together, forming a glossy ganache.
- Allow the ganache to cool to room temp, then share between each glass, pouring over the sponge – resist the urge to eat!
Baileys cream topping
- Whip the cream and Baileys until you have very soft peaks.
- Add the drinking chocolate powder and whisk briefly until just slightly more firm.
- Spoon the whipped cream mixture into each dessert glass, working into peaks.
To finish
- Chill for an hour to set.
- Finely grate the remaining dark chocolate over each dessert before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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G Ainsworth says
I made it as one larger trifle for Christmas pud as we don’t like fruitcake-type deserts. Brilliant flavour and very more-ish. As I was short of time, I substituted one tub of Cadbury’s Chocolate ‘OMG’ Double Choclate Brownie Cakes (chopped into 5mm squares, approx) for the ‘flourless choclate sponge’ part of the recipe. They worked well. I’m looking forward to next Christmas so I can make it again — the only time when no-one has to drive afterwards.
Emily Leary says
Sounds wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it xx
Emma says
Thanks for this, made it for Xmas Day pudding. Only realised when making it I hadn’t bought enough chocolate so used cocoa powder instead of chocolate in the sponge. It tasted delicious, will definately make again :)
Emily Leary says
So glad you enjoyed it. xxx