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Recipes

What Happened When I Made Rachel’s Meat Trifle From Friends

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at Texas chapter.

If you haven’t binge-watched Friends yet even though all ten seasons are available on Netflix, you should do so immediately. For those of you who have seen every episode fifty times like I have, then you know that some of the most iconic, laugh-so-hard-you-pee moments came from the annual Thanksgiving episodes.

A touch football game for the coveted Geller Cup, a guest appearance by Brad Pitt and of course Monica shimming while neck-deep in a raw turkey made for great television. But “The One Where Ross Got High” from Season 6 shines for one reason: Rachel’s trifle.

Rach tries to impress her friends by making the “traditional” English layered dessert, but her cookbook pages are stuck together, resulting in a half-trifle, half-shepherd’s pie, meaty-dessert fiasco. Here’s a clip:

I don’t know about you, but nothing satisfies my sweet-tooth more than oniony ground beef. Ross claims it “tastes like feet.” So of course, I decided to whip one up for myself.

Trifle from Friends

Photo by Kathleen Lee

I took the time to make the custard from scratch à la Rachel, and I consider myself a pretty adventurous eater anyways, so I was not entirely dreading the taste test.

Trifle from Friends

Photo by Kathleen Lee

I felt like I was eating dog food.

The sweet custard, jam and whipped cream coat the meat globules, resulting in a nauseating, reverse-Everlasting Gobstopper effect. One bite was more than enough for me, but if you are a sadist or want a good laugh at your Friends-giving, the recipe follows. Happy holidays!

Rachel’s “Traditional” English Trifle

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 20 minutesTotal time: 30 minutesServings:10 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

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    Assemble the ingredients. Sautée the ground beef with peas and onions and prepare a custard ahead of time (use this easy creme anglaise recipe).

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    Line the bottom of a large clear bowl with a layer of lady fingers.

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    Add the raspberry jam until the lady fingers are completely coated. Cover the jam layer with half of your custard. Top with raspberries.

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    Add another layer of lady fingers.

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    Add a layer of the beef mixture.

    #SpoonTip: If you actually want to serve this trifle to people and not have them hate you, substitute the beef and veggies for another type of berry or fruit.

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    Add the rest of your custard and sliced bananas.

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    Cover with whipped cream and garnish. Serve immediately, before people can run away.