Vegan Raspberry Trifle Questa ricetta è disponibile anche in italiano
This Vegan Raspberry Trifle is decadent, slightly boozy, sweet and very easy to make. A lovely dessert to treat you with after a meal!
Tradition is tradition, no matter what are our dietary choices or needs.
I was chatting with my husband Guy about what British desserts he wishes they were vegan (or more available in a plant-based version) and without hesitation he first mentioned: the trifle!
Now, I have to be honest with you. I think I only had trifle once before when I was little, too little to actually remember its taste. And that one it was made by my mother, a honest great cook but Italian, hence she must have found the recipe on some magazines she used to take inspiration from, that possibly might have “Italianized” the dessert. In fact, the only thing I do vividly remember about it is that it contained jam, and jam, my friend it’s not traditional at all in this pudding.
So I started reading about its history as well as consulting the a bunch of recipes of great British chefs, and I must say I nailed it the very fist time!
The traditional recipe is not vegan (not even suitable for vegetarians) because of: eggs, dairy, dairy and gelatine! The only element that is suitable for vegans is the fruit.
However, veganizing this dessert was actually pretty easy.
I basically just used my vegan pound cake as a base, my favourite homemade custard, the best plant based whipping cream, and I made a vegan gelatin with agar agar*.
* If you’re new to veganism, agar is a vegan-friendly gelatine replacement. It’s a natural jelly-like substance that comes from algae that grows in the sea. It was first discovered in Japan in the 17th century. It’s very healthy as it’s made of around 80% fibre. You will be able to find agar flakes in most local health stores or Asian supermarkets, if not your local supermarket. I prefer to use it in its powdered version, which I purchase online (here’s the link).
The next step is just assembling all the elements, and adding a bit of booze to soak the sponge (I choose Amaretto, but you can use Rhum, Kirsch, Cointreau, or any sweet liquor of your choice. just make sure it’s SFV. Alternatively, you can use alcohol free syrups or fruit juices if you’re planning to serve it to kids) as well as fresh fruit.
This traditional treat made vegan really comes together in no time and it tastes just heavenly.
Vegan Raspberry Trifle Recipe
Ingredients:
400 g Raspberries (fresh or frozen)
4-6 tbsp Amaretto (or any other vegan liquor of your choice)
Almond Shavings to decorate (optional)
…for the sponge…
1 Vegan Pound Cake
…for the gelatine…
250 g Water
8 g Powdered Sugar
2 g Agar Agar Powder
Red Food Coloring (optional)
…for the custard…
500 g Soy Milk
50 gr Icing Sugar
25 gr Corn Starch (1 tbsp)
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 pinch of Turmeric for color (optional)
…for the whipped cream…
250 g Vegan Whipping Cream
40 g Powdered Sugar
Method:
1. Cut the pound cake into 1 cm slices and arrange on the bottom of the trifle dish(es) and wet them with Amaretto.
2. Add a layer of raspberries making sure to leave a bunch for decoration.
4. For the custard: Weight the corn starch and the icing sugar in a pan, add around a couple of tablespoons of milk first, stir into a paste then add the remaining milk and the vanilla extract a bit at the time, stirring thoroughly to prevent lumps. Cook the custard mixture on medium/low heat for a few minutes (3 to 5) until it starts to bubble and thicken.
3. For the gelatine: Add water and agar powder in a small saucepan and whisk the mixture together. Bring it to a boil on medium-high heat, making sure not to let the liquid boil over. Stir in the sugar and the food coloring, and cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Please note: if you add sugar before boiling, agar powder may not be dissolved.
4. Pour the gelatine over the fruit and set aside to set.
5. Once the custard is at room temperature, scoop it over the gelatine layer.
6. Whip the cream with icing sugar (if using unsweetened double cream) and vanilla extract to stiff peaks.
7. Scoop or pipe a generous layer of whipped cream over the custard.
8. Top the trifle with almond shavings and fresh raspberries.
9. Place the vegan raspberry trifle in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
