Trifle is a dessert that brings back very fond memories for me. It was my Nanas favourite dessert and she was always the nominated bearer of trifle at any family celebration and always at Christmas time. I haven’t eaten trifle in a very long time, but I have been asked by a few readers to come up with a healthy, intolerance friendly trifle so here it is.
Traditional trifles vary from the very, very bad (those made with processed ingredients like jelly, ready to eat custard and those horrendous 30+ ingredient jam rolls with a shelf life of many years), to the not so bad with each of the ingredients being homemade, albeit loaded with refined sugar.
My trifle is all made from scratch, a little finicky but certainly not at all difficult. I have endeavoured to cover most of the main dietary intolerances but feel free to add any I’ve missed (in the comments below).
It’s certainly nourishing without scrimping on deliciousness. So without further-a-do, a Well Nourished Trifle…
Health benefits
Packed with natural ingredients like raspberries, coconut milk, and grass-fed gelatin, this trifle is not just tasty, but also nourishing. It’s rich in collagen from the gelatin, healthy fats from the coconut, and full of vitamins and antioxidants from the fresh fruits. A healthier dessert choice that’s still a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
This trifle has layers of homemade jelly, home made sponge cake, custard (either traditional or vegan), and a creamy topping of your choice. Use natural sweeteners like rice malt syrup or honey, and customise the recipe to suit your dietary preferences. Whether you opt for coconut milk in your custard or whipped cream for the topping, this dessert offers wholesome, delicious ingredients.
How to make this Healthy Trifle recipe
Start by making the jelly with raspberries, sweetener, and grass-fed gelatin. Bake your chosen sponge, cut it into cubes, and soak it in sherry or a non-alcoholic syrup. For the custard, you can make a traditional egg-based one or a vegan version with mango and coconut milk. Assemble by layering the jelly, cake, custard, and creamy topping, then finish with fresh fruit and edible flowers. I love using fresh berries like strawberries and blueberries to make a berry trifle.
Serving suggestions and how to store
This trifle looks stunning in a glass bowl. trifle dish or individual glasses. For added texture, top with fresh fruit like berries or passionfruit. You can make it ahead of time and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoyed within a few days.
Vary this to suit your dietary needs
For a low-fructose option, use rice malt syrup and low-fructose fruits. Vegans can opt for the vegan custard, make the jelly with agar-agar, and use a vegan-friendly cake. This recipe is highly adaptable, so you can easily swap ingredients to suit gluten-free, dairy-free, or low-sugar diets.
Recipe notes
Gelatin:
For the gelatin, I use THIS gelatin. Because gelatin is derived from animals, I like to know I am consuming the best quality product with the least chemical loading.
Sponge cake:
For the sponge you have a few cake options:
1. Vanilla Bean Cup Cake which is gluten, nut and grain-free with dairy and fructose-free options (legume-based)
2. Basic Healthy Cake recipe which is gluten, grain, dairy-free with fructose free option (suits Paleo)
3. Vegan Vanilla Cake recipe is vegan, made with spelt or a gluten-free flour.
4. Simple Vanilla Cake a sweeter cake made with olive oil
For more delicious, healthy and easy to make wholefood treats, click HERE.
Ingredients
Jelly
- 500 ml water (2 cups) boiling from the kettle
- 85 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (¼ cup)
- 200 g raspberries (2 cups) defrosted if frozen, pureed and pushed through a sieve to remove the seeds
- 2 tbsp grass-fed or organic gelatin (see recipe notes above)
Sponge
- Choose either:
- Vanilla Bean Cup Cake OR
- Easy Healthy Cake OR
- Vegan Vanilla Cake (recipes linked above)
Custard (choose your preference)
Vegan, dairy, gluten, egg and grain-free custard
- 2 mango/s -peeled and flesh pureed
- 1 tsp vanilla -powder, extract or essence
- 125 ml canned coconut milk (½ cup)
Traditional gluten-free custard (with dairy-free option)
- 2 tbsp rice malt syrup or maple syrup
- 2 egg/s
- 2 tbsp cornflour -gluten-free (or arrowroot for grain-free)
- 1 tbsp vanilla -powder, extract or essence
- 500 ml milk (of choice) (2 cups)
Creamy topping
- 250 ml cream (1 cup)whipped, or full-fat natural yoghurt, coconut yoghurt or cashew cream.
Serve
- fresh fruit
Method
Jelly
- Combine the hot water and sweetener until it is dissolved.
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the raspberry puree and mix until well combined.
- Add the hot water/syrup mixture and stir well until the gelatin is dissolved.
- Pour into a glass container and refrigerate to set.
Sponge
- Bake your sponge and once cooled cut into cubes.
- It is entirely up to you, but you can do as my Nana would have and soak the cubes in sherry. Or for a non-alcoholic syrup, combine 85 grams (¼ cup) of maple syrup or rice syrup with ¼ cup of boiling hot water stirring until combined. Add the juice of either a lime or orange and spoon over the cubes to soak your cake as you assemble it.
Custard
Vegan, dairy, gluten, egg and grain-free custard
- Blend the mango, vanilla, and coconut milk until well combined.
Traditional gluten-free custard
- Heat your chosen milk and sweetener until just starting to simmer.
- Remove from the heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and cornflour (or arrowroot). Add the vanilla.
- Slowly add to the hot milk whilst whisking.
- Return the pot to a low heat and stir continually until the custard thickens to your desired consistency.
- If you do end up with any lumps, you can pass it through a sieve.
To assemble
- Place a layer of jelly in the bottom of the bowl or glass.
- Arrange the cake on top, spoon over the sherry or non-alcoholic syrup and then cover with a layer of custard.
- Add another layer of jelly followed by a layer of whipped cream, full-fat natural yoghurt, Coyo coconut yoghurt (vegan and dairy-free), or cashew nut cream (vegan and dairy free).
- Top with fruit and edible flowers and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Variations
Low-fructose
Choose rice malt syrup as your sweetener and low fructose fruits.Vegan
Choose the vegan custard, make the jelly with agar agar and use a vegan cake (I don't have a recipe for this but there are plenty online).I'd love to hear what version you've tried and how you liked it. Post a comment below.
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Kerry says
trifle was always a favourite and I often think about it. My mum made the best trifle, I’d eat that always over pavlova or anything else. But yes, it was the traditional unhealthy trifle, with homemade custard and jellies, though still with refined ingredients. I dream to make a trifle and believe it or not, in a very similar way to what you have Georgia, but now you’ve made it even easier for me, no thinking involved 🙂 I use the word ‘dream’ because I am strictly adhering to gaps and am still in the early stages. One day…. this awaits. much love.
Georgia Harding says
I surprised myself with this one – it really hits the mark. Hope you get to enjoy it soon, G x
Nic says
Only one problem and that is the canellini beans in the cupcake as we are legume free too- trying to find an alternative for either the beans or sponge – would almond flour with an egg make an ok substitute ?
Georgia Harding says
Yes I would try an almond meal based cake Nic. It’s your best bet if avoiding grain and legumes. G x
Kelly Berghella says
Hi Georgia, thanks for the recipe, they look divine and I am planning on making them Christmas Day as part of my dessert offerings. Just a question on preparation – how far ahead would you suggest making them? I was thinking about preparing each layer the day before and assembling on Christmas Day? I would prefer to assemble Christmas Eve, but just afraid they might go a bit soggy and yucky?
Georgia Harding says
Kelly, you’re welcome. I would prep each part a day or two before and assemble on Christmas morning. I ate these ones the day after I made them and they were really good (though I didn’t liquor the sponge). Just keep it all in the fridge before and after prep (including the cake). G x
Kelly Berghella says
Thanks Georgia, that is helpful. I have just made my jelly and custard (going to do alternate raspberry and mango jelly layers mmm). Have a Merry Christmas x
Georgia Harding says
Sounds perfect – enjoy Kelly and Merry Christmas too! G x
Lucinda says
This looks amazing!! I malabsorb fructose so will use almond meal for the sponge (such a shame as I love the vanilla bean cupcakes). What do you recommend instead of mango?
Georgia Harding says
Hi Lucinda, I’d use a traditional custard sweetened with RMS. I’m posting a cracking almond meal cake this week which would work perfectly too for the cake. G x
Yarrow says
Hi Georgia, I have never made jelly before and was wondering if I could substitute the raspberries with blueberries, mixed berries etc or will this change the setting of the jelly?
Georgia Harding says
Absolutely fine to sub the type of berry Yarrow, enjoy G x
Cherrylussh says
I logged into the iHerb website to buy the gelatine, but before I place the order, is there anything else you recommend from this site so that I can get more bang for my postage buck? Many thanks in advance Georgia.
Georgia Harding says
I have only bought from Great Lakes direct before – only came across this (cheaper than what I paid) after wards and Gelatin lasts a long time so haven’t needed to restock mine yet. They have a massive range of products, just haven’t shopped form them yet. Make sure you have the red one . Sorry can’t help more G x
Kylie says
I just received this recipe in my email – thank you so very much! My youngest is allergic to dairy, nuts, eggs, rice, strawberries and artificial colours/flavours (she gets hives from a kids antihistamine syrup because of the flavours!).
And I & my eldest are dairy & wheat intolerant, So finding traditional type Xmas desserts to suit everyone is so hard! But not anymore. I have a muffin/cake recipe I can use that suits my youngest so now I can make trifle to suit everyone.
Can’t wait to try this out.
Georgia Harding says
SO happy to be able to help Kylie. Even the mango custard is surprisingly very custard like (once mixed with the other trifle ingredients). I’m planning it myself, enjoy and Merry Christmas G x
Lauren says
I haven’t tried making the whole trifle yet, but just the traditional custard alone is divine! As quick as packet custard to make, even more delicious and without all the nasties. Such a simple and delicious recipe yet again, thank you so much!
Georgia Harding says
Ah brilliant Lauren – so glad you like it. Do yourself a favour though and make the trifle one Christmas or special occasion. It is such a lovely combo of flavours. Thanks for your feedback G x
Deanna says
Are you saying we should make both custard, or choose one? I can’t seem to figure that part out..
Georgia Harding says
I’d choose one but both would be fine too, G x
Emily says
Hi Georgia
I have a vegeatarian neice, so would need to make the jelly with agar agar. Is it a straight substitute and same method?
Well Nourished Team says
Hi Emily, the agar agar would be a completely different method to create jelly. We recommend doing a google search on how to use agar agar (or even follow the agar package instructions as to quantities required). Let us know how it goes!
Darren says
Hi Georgia
When do you add the vanilla to the custard?
Well Nourished Team says
Hi Darren, thank you, we’ve updated that now in the recipe.
Darren says
Hi Georgia
We enjoyed your custard! I just added the vanilla. However, your custard is a beautiful yellow colour. Mine had more of a brown tinge. Could this be the maple syrup or vanilla powder? What should I do differently? My egg yolks were nice and orange!
Well Nourished Team says
Yes that could be the vanilla or the sweetener (as long as it tasted good I wouldn’t worry on colour).