Japanese Trifle トライフル

Tonight we went out for my eldest daughter’s 18th Birthday. We had been recommended a Japanese fusion restaurant in Sydney called Cho Cho San. The food was amazing as were the cocktails. We had brought with us a small birthday cake so I had no plans to order sweets but as the waitress was taking coffee and tea orders she casually mentions “oh, we have a special tonight Umeboshi Trifle”. Well how could I miss an opportunity to try a Japanese Trifle, especially seeing the rest of the meal had been so good.

The pictures below show the blossoming Ume tree and the yellow fruit. While it is often referred to as a plum, it is actually closer to a peach than a plum. The Ume is a salty, sour fruit usually used in savoury cooking, so not sure how the sweetness was added to it for tonight’s Trifle.

The Ume is a favourite Japanese fruit often used to make a salty and sour paste and also a liquor.

So what was the Umeboshi Trifle like? I would have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I am generally not a big fan of Japanese sweets but this was really pleasant.

So the first interesting thing was the presentation. It came in a small thin ceramic dish about 20cm in diameter and only 2-3cm high. A good size for sharing. Cutting a slice, it was firm enough to stay well formed but super smooth. The bulk of the Trifle was a light sponge in the middle . On top was a thin layer of fresh cream with Ume powder sprinkled on top. At the base of the sponge a deep red, sweet Ume paste.

The overall experience was light, fresh and sweet but not over the top. A nice finish to wonderful meal. A sweet that was a good match with both coffee and green tea equally.

So if you ever get an opportunity to have Ume Trifle, say YES. It’s is a simple, delicate sweet that completes a Japanese meal perfectly. Enjoy