There are some interesting trifle recipes out there, most with bought/highly processed ingredients. This doesn't have to be the case, because you can indulge and honour your health at the same time. I do this by making my own desserts and packing them full of real food, nutrient dense ingredients. Making desserts from scratch isn't as time consuming as you may think and it means you have control of the ingredients.
I use an organic gelatin powder to make the jelly for this trifle instead of packet jelly which is usually packed full of sugar and other additives. There are so many health benefits to consuming gelatin, it is a great source of protein and amino acids, can boost your metabolism by helping regulate insulin. Gelatin also has skin healing properties!
A gelatin powder is an easy way to include more gelatin in your diet. As well as making jelly you can use it in smoothies, to make cheesecake or pana cotta.
My trifle recipe is best made a day in advance to give the sponge cake enough time to absorb juices and to let all the flavours combine. I have made my trifle kid friendly but you can always add liqueur to give it an extra kick.
Healthy Trifle with Gelatin
INGREDIENTS
Sponge cake
4 free range eggs
2 cups spelt flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup rapadura sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract
Jelly
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
1 1/2 cups organic or fresh fruit juice of choice (Not pineapple juice as enzymes will prevent gelatin from setting)
1-2 cups fresh fruit
Custard
2 cups milk of choice
2 free range eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean extract
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup or honey (add more for a sweeter custard)
1 tablespoon arrowroot flour (tapioca)
1 cup fruit juice of choice
3-4 cups of fruit of your choice (I used mango, strawberries and blueberries)
METHOD
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
2. To make sponge cake in a large bowl beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy.
3. Add vanilla and oil, slowly add flour continue to mix until well combined. Pour mixture into lined cake tin.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until passes skewer test. Allow to cool before cutting into pieces for trifle
5. To make the jelly in a medium size bowl pour in hot water and gelatin powder stir briskly until dissolved, pour in juice and mix well.
6. Place fresh fruit in a layer on the bottle of a baking dish and pour jelly mixture over the fruit. Refrigerate covered for at least 2-3 hours and then cut into cubes.
7. To make the custard heat milk in a saucepan with vanilla and rice malt syrup, remove from heat just before boiling point.
8. Beat eggs and arrowroot flour until well combined.
9. Pour the hot milk over the eggs and whisk well, pour the egg mixture back into saucepan and cook over gentle heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until thickens. (Custard can be strained through sieve if there are any lumps).
10. To assemble cut the sponge cake into slices 2 cm thick and layer into a large glass bowl. 11. Using a brush coat the sponge cake in fruit juice, add dollops of custard, clubs of jelly and scatter fruit. Add another layer of sponge cake and repeat the process.
Finally, decorate with remaining fruit.