Recipe
What Happened When I Made Rachel’s Meat Trifle From Friends
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.
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.
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
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 10-12
- Easy
Ingredients
- 1 package lady fingers
- 1 jar raspberry jam
- 2 cup custard
- 1 package raspberries
- 10 oz ground beef
- 3/4 cup peas
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 ripe banana
- Whipped cream
Step 1
Assemble the ingredients. Sautée the ground beef with peas and onions and prepare a custard ahead of time (use this easy creme anglaise recipe).
Step 2
Line the bottom of a large clear bowl with a layer of lady fingers.
Step 3
Add the raspberry jam until the lady fingers are completely coated. Cover the jam layer with half of your custard. Top with raspberries.
Step 4
Add another layer of lady fingers.
Step 5
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.
Step 6
Add the rest of your custard and sliced bananas.
Step 7
Cover with whipped cream and garnish. Serve immediately, before people can run away.