If you’ve grown up in South Africa, you can taste the title of this blog post. Peppermint crisp and caramel trifle is a fridge dessert that has made many an appearance on menus and dinner tables countrywide. And I love it as much in my thirties as I did way back.
I’ve seen this dessert made in many different ways but today I’m sharing how I make this classic.

What is a South African Peppermint Crisp & Caramel Trifle?
This is a layered fridge dessert of pretty much all store-bought deliciousness. The trifle starts with a layer of red jelly, followed by Tennis biscuits soaked in milk, then a layer of caramel, a layer of sweetened whipped cream, and lastly crushed peppermint crisp. This sequence is followed until your trifle dish is filled! I like topping mine with fresh cherries and more crushed peppermint crisp and if I’m making this for Christmas (which I do) I like adding some extra snowflake-shaped sugar cookies. If you’d like to do the same you can find the recipe for these cookies here.
What Ingredients do you Need to Make this Trifle?
The ingredients needed to make this peppermint crisp and caramel trifle are pretty simple and easy to find. However, if you don’t live in South Africa you might find it hard to come by Tennis biscuits!
These ingredients include
- Red cherry flavored jelly
- Nestle Caramel Treat (You can boil a tin of condensed milk instead)
- Nestle Peppermint Crisp
- Tennis biscuits
- Milk
- Whipping cream
- Icing sugar
- Fresh cherries

What Can I Use to Substitute Tennis Biscuits?
Although Tennis Biscuits are unlike any other, you will have to try your best to find a substitute if you can't find them. They are a thin coconut biscuit that I would use digestive biscuits or Marie biscuits if I was looking for an alternative.
How to Make a Peppermint Crisp and Caramel Trifle?
This is one of those recipes that requires no oven time! And for many, I know that is the real appeal of fridge desserts. Once you have your jelly set, this dessert can be made in 15 minutes and left in the fridge until serving. It is one of my go-to recipes for whipping up something quickly that can go from the fridge to the table along with a stack of plates and very little fuss!
Depending on the occasion I’m making this peppermint crisp and caramel trifle, I either choose to make it in one large bowl or individual glasses. The choice is yours as both work really well! If you are making this dessert in individual glasses, the quantity of ingredients will make 8 mini desserts, but this will depend on the size of the glass you choose.
I hope you enjoy making this special dessert, it truly is one that I return to time and time again. It’s a family favorite and perfect for any level of kitchen competence!
Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Peppermint Crisp and Caramel Trifle
Ingredients
- 2 pkt red cherry jelly
- 1 pkt Tennis Biscuits
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tin Nestle caramel treat
- 3 pepermint crisp
- 250 ml whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon icing sugar
- 1 cup fresh cherries
Instructions
- Start by making the jelly according to the instrcutions found on the packet. Pour the jelly into your chosen bowl or dessert glasses. Allow the jelly to set, ideally overnight.
- Prepare all of the ingredients, crush the peppermint crisp and smooth the caramel with a fork so that it is easy to spread. Pour the milk into a bowl and remove the biscuits from their packaging.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream with the icing sugar. Set aside until needed.
- Start layering the dessert. Soak enough biscuits briefly in the milk to create a layer on top of the set jelly.
- Spoon a layer of caramel over the biscuits. Then spoon a layer of whipped cream over the caramel, sprinkle with crushed peppermint crisp.
- Continue layering until your ingredients are finished and your trifle dish is filled. End with whipped cream and top with the remainder of the peppermint crisp and the fresh cherries.
- Place the trifle in the fridge until serving. Enjoy!
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