ASDA Chocolate Trifle - Trifles are a bit of a favourite in our house. At Christmas I tend to make one each year, using a recipe passed down from my grandmother, and we all enjoy them immensely. I have always been averse to purchasing any ready-made trifles from supermarkets, due to their unappetising taste, and the extortionate prices, but this week I was traipsing the aisles of ASDA when I espied a chocolate one. Not being able to resist much that contains chocolate, I ummed and ahhed a little, before putting the trifle into the basket to bring home.

The trifle is packaged in a recyclable transparent plastic container, which is fluted, and can be utilised for a jelly or blancmange mould after use. A 650g trifle will cost £1.78, and will easily serve four people, so the trifle is a very economical dessert for a family. I will happily admit that the main reason I purchased the trifle was because of the huge amount of different chocolate textures within. Not only is there the promise of chocolate custard, but also chocolate mousse and sponge cake, and the piece de resistance, chocolate curls. A chocoholic's dream no less.

The trifle certainly looks appealing, as well as luxurious, and the different coloured chocolate layers complement the virginal white layer of whipped cream perfectly. The trifle smells delightfully chocolatey, with a rich cocoa smell wafting from within the packaging once it is opened, as well as the scent of double cream which adds a richness to the overall aroma.

As I sink my spoon through the light whipped cream topped with attractive milk chocolate swirls, it glides easily through the layer of chocolate mousse beneath, meeting some resistance when it comes into contact with the chocolate sponge cake, but gliding effortlessly onwards to the rich layer of chocolate custard at the base.

The base of the trifle is a thick dark brown chocolate custard, which has a gloriously creamy chocolate taste, that positively glides across the tongue and down the throat. I was slightly worried that it may taste watery or thin but, no, this is not the case. A beautiful thick consistency lending a luxurious edge to the dessert, the custard is complemented but an exquisite chocolate sponge which has just the right amount of moistness and is so light that it almost melts into the custard. The sponge has a rich cocoa flavour and is slightly sweet, but in no way overpowering.

The mousse topping the sponge is a light brown colour, and has a light, bubbly texture and consistency, with a hint of chocolate flavouring. The mousse melts in the mouth, or failing that melts into the sponge, depending on how many of the different layers you are sampling at the time.

The whipped cream that tops the trifle is piped into attractive star patterns and has a light yet creamy consistency. The chocolate shavings complement the trifle well, and, while eating these, it will be the only time that you will feel the need to use the teeth, as due to their size, they do need to be bitten into rather than swallowed. I was half expecting the chocolate to be rather weak and insipid but was pleasantly surprised at the smooth creamy texture, and the quality of the curls.

Overall, the trifle was pure unadulterated chocolate ecstacy. We shared ours between four people, and one portion was quite enough for me, due to the overload of chocolate and cream. All that aside, the overload was gorgeous, and I would definitely purchase one of these again, if we want a quick dessert that needs no preparation.

The trifle contains gluten, milk and egg, as well as soya, and there is a warning that it could contain traces of nuts and seeds.

If the trifle is served equally between four persons, each dish will contain 272 kcals and 16g of fat, so it is not advisable to eat it as part of a calorie controlled diet! If you are a lover of all things chocolate I can guarantee you will love this trifle and will buy it over and over again.