Birds Dream Topping - 36g

In British puddings, Dream Topping is the finishing layer. Custard goes on the trifle, the topping goes on the custard, and a few hundreds and thousands go on top if somebody is feeling flash. It turns up on jelly, tinned fruit and Angel Delight too, anywhere a pudding needs a white fluffy hat.

Most people in Canada come looking for it because of a recipe. A handwritten trifle card from home says "one packet Dream Topping" and nothing else, and you are not about to argue with the card.

It is a small, light packet of dry powder, so it lives in the cupboard quite happily until the day it is needed and takes up no fridge space until then. The directions are on the pack. Whisk until it stands up on its own, then spoon it on or pipe it if you are showing off.

It sits in the Bird's family alongside the custard powder and Angel Delight. Most people pick it up with Bird's Custard Powder and a packet of jelly, which is a whole trifle in three moves.