Gluten Free Trifle

Ingredients

• 1 packHGG paleo Vanilla Baking Mix
• 2eggs
• 2 tbspoil
• 1 cup (about 240 ml)water
• 750 gfrozen summer berries
• 250 gcoconut sugar
• 9 sheets or 3 tbspleaf gelatine or powdered gelatine
• 1 cupchia seeds (vegetarian alternative to gelatine)
• 1 × 400 ml cancoconut cream or full-fat milk
• 3eggs
• 40 garrowroot
• 4 tbspsherry or your choice of liquid
• 450 mldouble cream or coconut cream, refrigerated overnight
• 2 tspvanilla extract

Instructions

1. 1

   Bake the cake

   Prepare a cake using the vanilla baking mix, following the instructions on its packet.

2. 2

   Cook the berries

   Put the berries in a pan with up to 150 g coconut sugar, if using, and 1 litre of water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Take out 6 tbsp of fruit and 150 ml of juice, then cook the remaining fruit for a further 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Soften the gelatine

   While the fruit cooks, soak the gelatine in cold water until softened.

4. 4

   Prepare the jelly

   Blend the cooked fruit, or mash it thoroughly with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Push it through a sieve into a large bowl, leaving the skins and seeds behind. Squeeze excess water from the gelatine, stir it into the hot fruit syrup until dissolved, then cool and chill until nearly set while you make the custard.

5. 5

   Make the custard

   Make a thick custard with 400 ml coconut cream or full-fat milk, 60–100 g coconut sugar, 3 eggs, 40 g arrowroot and 1 tsp vanilla.

6. 6

   Layer the trifle

   Cut the cake into pieces and pile them into a trifle bowl. Spoon over the reserved juice and berries, followed by the sherry. Add a thick layer of custard, pressing it against the sides of the bowl to seal in the cake. Leave it to cool and form a skin, which will help keep the jelly separate.

7. 7

   Add the jelly

   Once the custard is cold and set and the jelly is nearly set, spoon the jelly over the custard. Chill until you are ready to finish the trifle.

8. 8

   Whip the cream

   Use the solid cream from the top of the refrigerated coconut cream can, or use double cream. Whip it with 1 tsp vanilla until it just holds its shape, then spoon it around the bowl over the set jelly.

9. 9

   Chill and serve

   Chill the trifle until serving. Add fresh berries, shaved chocolate, crushed biscuits or other festive toppings just before serving.

What is a trifle?

A trifle is a layered British dessert, traditionally built from cake, fruit or jelly, custard and cream. This version uses a gluten-free vanilla cake and a berry layer, with coconut ingredients offering an alternative to dairy.

The layers make it especially handy for using broken cake: the fruit juice moistens the pieces, while the custard and nearly set jelly create distinct layers.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1050 calories, 13g protein, 120g carbs, 57g fat.

The cake mix and coconut sugar provide much of the carbohydrate, while the cream, coconut cream and oil contribute most of the fat. Eggs add protein, though the dessert is still mainly a sweet, rich treat; balance a serving with fresh berries and keep the portion moderate.

The cake and fruit

Cake pieces: Follow the baking mix packet directions, then cut or break the cake into pieces that fit your serving bowl. There is no need for perfectly even cubes.

Berry syrup: Reserve the specified fruit and juice before cooking the rest for longer. That gives you whole berries and a little juice to spoon over the cake, while the cooked fruit becomes the jelly layer.

Getting the jelly to set

Gelatine: Soak the sheets in cold water, then squeeze out the excess before stirring them into the hot syrup. The syrup should be hot enough to dissolve the gelatine, but it does not need to boil.

Chia option: The recipe suggests mixing chia seeds into the cooked, puréed fruit instead of using gelatine. This gives a different texture, so allow time for the mixture to thicken before layering.

Custard that stays in a layer

Arrowroot: Stir it into the custard ingredients as directed and cook the mixture until thick. A smooth, thick custard is easier to spread and helps keep the cake beneath it in place.

Barrier: Let the custard cool and form a skin before adding the jelly. Chilling it until set first helps prevent the fruit layer from sinking into the custard.

Layering and chilling

Build: Arrange the cake, reserved juice and berries, sherry, custard and jelly in that order. Press the custard against the bowl so it seals over the cake.

Timing: The recipe gives no exact chilling times, so use the texture cues: the custard should be cold and set, and the jelly nearly set, before you layer them. Chill the finished trifle until serving.

Cream and serving

Whipping: Refrigerate the coconut cream overnight and use the firm portion from the top of the can, or whip double cream. Stop once it holds its shape so it can be spooned over the jelly.

To serve: Add any fresh berries, chocolate or crushed biscuits at the end. The trifle is rich and layered, so it pairs well with a simple cup of tea or coffee.

Recipe notes & tips

• Check the baking mix packet before starting, as its cake instructions determine the baking details.
• Reserve the 6 tbsp fruit and 150 ml juice before continuing to cook the berries.
• Push the puréed fruit firmly through the sieve to extract the syrup while leaving seeds and skins behind.
• Allow the custard to cool and set before adding the nearly set jelly.
• Whip the cream only until it just holds its shape.
• Add crunchy toppings shortly before serving so they do not soften in the fridge.

Variations

• Skip the sherry: Use juice instead, as suggested, for an alcohol-free layer.
• Use shop-bought custard: Replace the homemade custard with ready-made custard if preferred.
• Use ready-made jelly: Substitute prepared jelly for the homemade berry layer if you want to save time.
• Add fresh fruit: Scatter fresh berries through the layers or over the cream.
• Choose the vegetarian option: Mix chia seeds into the cooked, puréed fruit instead of using gelatine.
• Change the topping: Finish with shaved chocolate or crushed biscuits.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding jelly too soon: It can run into the custard; wait until the custard is cold and set and the jelly is nearly set.
• Skipping the reserved fruit: Set aside the 6 tbsp fruit and 150 ml juice before cooking the remaining berries longer.
• Leaving gelatine undissolved: Squeeze out excess soaking water and stir it into the hot syrup until fully dissolved.
• Pouring custard over warm cake: Let the custard cool and form a skin to create the barrier for the jelly.
• Overwhipping the cream: Stop as soon as it holds its shape so it remains easy to spoon.
• Using all the coconut sugar at once: Follow the method's amounts, which use up to 150 g for the berries and 60–100 g for the custard.

How to store

Cover and refrigerate the assembled trifle, and serve it within 2 days for the best texture. It is not suited to reheating; keep any crunchy toppings separate until serving.

Frequently asked questions