Something of little importance or value; also, a British dessert made with cake, custard, fruit, and whipped cream.
From Old French 'trufle,' possibly from a Scandinavian root meaning 'to jest' or 'to deceive.' The dessert meaning developed later, perhaps because it seemed like a 'trifle' or small fancy confection.
The British trifle dessert is one of those foods that seems simple until you actually make it—it's basically a way to use up leftover cake and cream, which is exactly the kind of practical cleverness that defines British cooking. The word meaning 'something unimportant' fits perfectly.
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