The official Queen's Platinum Jubilee pudding has been announced as a lemon and Swiss roll amaretti trifle.
Inspired by the lemon posset served at Her Majesty's 1947 wedding to Prince Philip, the dessert was made by amateur baker Jemma Melvin, a copywriter from Southport, who beat 5,000 people in a competition.
The nationwide competition was run by Fortnum and Mason in partnership with the Big Jubilee Lunch Charity, with applicants required to make a pudding that tasted delicious, had a memorable story and would be loved by our 96-year-old Queen. Most importantly, it had to be an easy-to-make pudding that viewers could recreate for their very own Jubilee street parties.
Described by Mary Berry as "absolutely wonderful", Jemma's trifle was made with layers of lemon curd Swiss roll, St Clement's jelly, lemon custard, a mandarin coulis made with tinned mandarins and amaretti biscuits, and whipped fresh cream. She topped it off with more amaretti biscuits and a jewelled chocolate bark.
The elements that make up the trifle are:
- Swiss roll
- Lemon curd
- St Clement's jelly
- Custard
- Amaretti biscuits
- Chunky mandarin coulis
- Jewelled chocolate bark
- Double cream to assemble
"I cannot believe it. Everything I was up against was the most beautiful desserts and puddings with beautiful stories," Jemma said after finding out she had won. "So that this quite humble trifle has won is quite surreal. I wanted it to be the People's Pudding, not just for the Queen, but the whole of the country."
Read more:
- How to hold a Platinum Jubilee street party: Permission, food & decorations
- Emma Bridgewater releases new range to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee
Jemma's triumph was revealed in the BBC programme The Jubilee Pudding: 70 Years in the Baking, where The Duchess of Cornwall presented the award as a surprise guest. Thousands of people from right around the UK entered the competition, with just five competing in the final show aired on BBC One, including Kathryn MacLennan, Sam Smith, Shabnam Russo and Susan Gardner.
Well done, Jemma!
The best trifle bowls to buy
A chic, classic plain bowl that'll show off your pretty desserts to best effect. At just £5, you can stock up for larger dinner parties without spending a fortune, too.
Make this frosted swirled glass bowl the centrepiece of your tablescape come the Jubilee weekend.
This vintage-style glass bowl will show off all those tasty dessert layers, while the etched design adds a sweet extra something.
We're getting 70s vibes from this one.
Glass Trifle Bowl & 4 Dishes
Wow, this large bowl is a real showstopper. It comes with four matching serving bowls too, all for under £50.
These retro bowls have plenty of room for festive puds or a generous double scoop of ice cream, as is shown here!
Dibor Beaded Glass Dessert Bowls, Set of 6
Pretty and feminine without being too twee, we really like the unusual glass beading around the rims on these Dibor bowls.
This beautiful vintage heavy cut glass trifle bowl would double up wonderfully as a fruit bowl, as shown here. It's far too pretty to keep hidden in a cupboard when not in use.
Choose from green, blue or pink here, or you can mix-and-match for a joyous, colourful scheme.
Royal Check Large Compote
An investment piece, yes, but this pudding compote from iconic hand-painted ceramics brand Mackenzie-Childs will make a truly show-stopping centrepiece for a special occasion – like a Platinum Jubilee, for instance.
Shopping vintage is a good way to tackle overconsumption and, when second-hand pieces are this gorgeous, why would you ever need to buy new?
Black Toast Small Glass Trifle Bowl
Along with the beautiful hand-painted pottery lines, Emma Bridgewater does have a selection of glassware too. This trifle bowl is finished with the best-loved Black Toast script around the edge reading a summery 'strawberries and cream'. One to take out for all your summer barbecues once the plates are cleared.
Black Toast Glass Pudding Bowl
There's a matching pudding bowl in Emma Bridgewater's glassware range, too.
Lisa Joyner is the Deputy Daily Editor at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she's busy writing about home and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration, and the hottest properties on the market. Previously, she has written for Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden and Marie Claire magazine. Lisa studied at University For The Creative Arts, where she completed a BA in Fashion Journalism.
