Skip to main content

A trifle for the Queen: U.K. unveils Jubilee pudding winner

Share
LONDON -

It's not just a trifle. It's history.

A 31-year-old copywriter's seven-layer lemon Swiss roll and amaretti trifle beat 5,000 desserts in a U.K.-wide competition to become the official pudding -- or dessert, if you're not British -- of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Contest organizers hope people throughout Britain will serve Jemma Melvin's sunshine bright, sweet and sour concoction topped with whipped cream and crumbled cookies at neighborhood parties and backyard teas as part of the June 2-5 celebrations to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne.

Melvin, who is from Southport in northwest England, said her creation was inspired by both her grandmothers and the Queen.

"This particular trifle is a tribute to three women: it's my Gran, my Nan and the Queen herself," she said. "My grandma taught me to bake, she taught me all the elements, everything from scratch. My Nan's signature dish was always a trifle; we used to call her the queen of trifles. And the Queen had lemon posset at her wedding."

The contest was announced in January as Jubilee organizers sought to find a modern day counterpart to coronation chicken, the combination of cold poultry, mayonnaise and curry powder created for festivities on the day in 1953 when Elizabeth was crowned.

The winner was announced by the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles's wife, on Thursday night in a nationally televised broadcast on the BBC.

Melvin's trifle defeated four other finalists: a passionfruit and thyme frangipane tart; Queen Elizabeth sponge cake, including a layer of jam made with the monarch's favorite Dubonnet wine; a rose falooda cake incorporating the flavors of a traditional Indian dessert; and a "four nations" pudding featuring ingredients from around the country.

How to make the winning pudding

Click here for the recipe.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight

After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.

Local Spotlight