Perfect for dairy-free, paleo, or low-carb lifestyles, these custard cups are as satisfying as they are guilt-free. Coconut milk brings the creaminess, the berry sauce adds that fresh pop of flavor, and trust me, you won’t even miss the dairy. Plus, it’s naturally sweetened—because who says you need refined sugar to feel fancy?

And because I know you don’t have time for fussy desserts, these custard cups are make-ahead magic. Prep today, enjoy all week (or until you eat them all in one sitting, no judgment). You’re welcome.

Dairy Free Custard Recipe Ingredients

• Coconut milk - You’ll want the full-fat ones here. None of that light business for this custard. Trust me.
• Tapioca flour or arrowroot flour/starch - You can also use cornstarch for this, but the other two are paleo friendly.
• Granulated sweetener - I prefer using Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener if I need a granulated sweetener that isn’t full on sugar.
• Salt
• 8 egg yolks
• Vanilla extract
• 1 batch of Easy Berry Sauce
• Whipped cream or Whipped coconut cream (optional)

How to Make Coconut Custard

1. Whisk the coconut milk, tapioca flour, sweetener and salt in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until it's bubbly and has thickened slightly. Turn off the heat.
2. While whisking the egg yolks in a separate bowl, VERY slowly drizzle a ladle-full of the hot coconut milk mixture into the egg yolks. When it's fully incorporated, take that egg yolk mixture and while whisking, pour it slowly back into the pot with the rest of the coconut milk mixture.
3. Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook the custard until it's bubbly and has thickened even more.
4. Wash out the bowl you just used for the egg yolks. Remove the custard from the heat and pour it through a fine-mesh strainer back into the clean bowl.
5. Stir in the vanilla and let it sit for 15 minutes or until it's no longer steamy.
6. Press a piece of plastic wrap over the custard, sealing the top. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours until the custard is completely chilled and has set up even more.

How to temper egg yolks

Tempering egg yolks is just a fancy way of saying "adding them really slowly so you don't end up with scrambled eggs". 

The idea is to drizzle a little of the hot custard mixture into the egg yolks to warm them up slightly.

Then you can pour it slowly back into the rest of the hot custard mixture without ending up with scrambled eggs. It works beautifully and it gives such a richness to custards.

7. Then you strain the whole thing just in case a little big got scrambled. It's just for insurance.
8. Those clear blobs in my strainer up there are actually bits of tapioca flour. Sometimes it does that when it's heated up. Good thing we strained, eh?

9. Now it just needs to sit in the fridge for a while.
10. Transfer to a lidded container and store for up to two weeks.
11. Spoon some custard into small serving dishes with a spoonful of Easy Berry Sauce. And a dollop of whipped coconut cream (if you're choosing to).

How to make Berry Sauce for Coconut Custard

Put frozen berries, sweetener, and lemon juice in a saucepan with a little water and simmer until the berries have broken down and the mixture is “jammy” with a little sauce.

The only way you could make this better is by adding a dollop of whipped cream on top. 

But then it wouldn't be dairy-free. I'm fond of whipped coconut cream, but my kids are still staunchly against it. (Sometimes I do it anyway.)

You could simply add fresh berries to this as well and it would be spectacular. And a perfect little weeknight dessert!

Dairy Free Custard Tips

• Be sure to SLOWLY add the hot mixture to the eggs when tempering so you don’t end up with scrambled egg bits. If you happen to have a few you can strain them out.
• Watch the pan closely and stir often, scraping the bottom with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Milk scorches easily.
• Make this several days in advance! Custard and berry sauce store really well for several days.
• Don’t freeze the custard

How to keep custard from forming a skin

The reason why I have a piece of plastic wrap stuck to the surface of the custard is to avoid the icky "skin" that forms on top when it's exposed to air for a long time.

Forming a tight seal with the plastic wrap helps a lot.

By the way, this custard keeps in the fridge for several days, so it's a great dessert to make in advance.

Now just drizzle some into a cute serving dish.

Like this mini trifle cup. Isn't it cute? I found mine at Walmart, but they sell them on Amazon, too.

I used it when I made the Lemon Berry Mini Trifles, too. Another variation on my trifle recipe. 

Add some of my Easy Berry Sauce (which is also great to make in advance!) and you've got the best little dessert in all the land.

I'm serious.

Coconut Custard Recipe Variations

Make it dairy-filled: If dairy-free isn’t important to you, but you’d still like to retain the coconut flavor, swap half of the coconut milk for half and half.

Make it low-carb: If you're in the keto/low-carb camp, you can easily make this with some granulated low-carb sweetener like Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener.

Bump up the coconut: Add some finely shredded toasted coconut to the custard itself or on top as a garnish.

Make it lemon: Use some lemon juice and zest for a lemon custard instead. Works really well with that berry sauce!

How to make low-carb custard

If you're in the keto/low-carb camp, you can easily make this with some granulated low-carb sweetener like Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener.

I actually use that quite a bit, even though I'm not necessarily eating "keto". I do try to remove a lot of the refined sugar from my diet and monkfruit sweetener works really well in place of sugar most of the time.

If you don't want to use that, you can use coconut sugar, but it will turn the custard a golden brown color and give it more caramel notes. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it might not be what you want.

How to Store Dairy Free Custard

Store any leftover custard and berry sauce covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Coconut Milk Custard

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

A simple, yet elegant and delicious dessert that you can prep completely ahead of time! It's dairy-free and easily made low-carb as well.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 11.5-ounce cans of full-fat coconut milk
• 2 Tablespoons tapioca flour or arrowroot flour/starch
• ½ cup preferred granulated sweetener (see note)
• Pinch of salt
• 8 egg yolks
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 batch of Easy Berry Sauce
• Whipped cream or Whipped coconut cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Whisk the coconut milk, tapioca flour, sweetener and salt in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until it's bubbly and has thickened slightly. Turn off the heat.
2. Meanwhile, put the egg yolks into a small bowl and give them a good whisk.
3. While whisking the egg yolks, VERY slowly drizzle a ladle-full of the hot coconut milk mixture into the egg yolks. When it's fully incorporated, take that egg yolk mixture and while whisking, pour it slowly back into the pot with the rest of the coconut milk mixture.
4. Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook the custard until it's bubbly and has thickened even more. (It won't be super thick like pudding. And will continue to thicken as it sits in the fridge.)
5. Wash out the bowl you just used for the egg yolks. Remove the custard from the heat and pour it through a fine-mesh strainer back into the clean bowl. (I know -- a lot of back and forth.)
6. Stir in the vanilla and let it sit for 15 minutes or until it's no longer steamy.
7. Press a piece of plastic wrap over the custard, sealing the top. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours until the custard is completely chilled and has set up even more. (Again, it won't be as thick as pudding.)
8. Spoon some custard into small serving dishes with a spoonful of Easy Berry Sauce. And a dollop of whipped coconut cream (if you're choosing to)

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. I really liked using Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener for this custard. You could also use coconut sugar, but it will turn the custard a golden brown color and give it a more caramel-y taste. (Not a bad thing, but maybe not what you're looking for.) I'd avoid using a liquid sweetener unless you'd like to use several drops of stevia.

2. The original recipe called for 2 Tablespoons of softened butter to be added at the same time as the vanilla. If you aren't strictly dairy-free, I'd highly recommending this. It adds more flavor and richness to the custard. But it's totally delicious without it.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Lakanto Liquid Monkfruit Extract Sweetener, Sugar-Free Keto Drops, 1.85 Fl Oz (Original - Pack of 1)
• 
  Swerve Sweetener, Confectioners, 12 oz
• 
  Cuisinart CTG-00-3MS Set of 3 Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers
• 
  Anchor Hocking Presence Mini Trifle Footed Dessert Bowls, Set Of 4

Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. Purchases made by using these links don’t cost you any extra and helps to keep my content free.

The post Coconut Custard Recipe with Berry Sauce appeared first on Perry's Plate.

I’m going to be honest with you – making trifle from scratch is a bit of a labor of love. But 10000% worth the effort. I'll show you how to make each component so it turns out perfect every time. This is the kind of dessert that you’ll want to brag about on social and take to every special occasion.

There are much easier trifle shortcuts using store-bought cake and instant pudding, so if you’re in a pinch, I wouldn’t recommend this recipe. I highly encourage you to tackle this recipe at least once so you can appreciate the enormous difference homemade custard and sponge cake make in a trifle dessert!

What is a Trifle?

Trifles are an English dessert with layers of sponge cake (sometimes soaked in wine), custard, fruit, and whipped cream.

Parfait vs Trifle

Parfaits and trifles are both layered desserts, but trifles are typically made in a very large, clear serving dish so the layering is visible. It also contains sponge cake and custard. Parfaits are layered in individual cups and often involve yogurt.

Trifle Dessert Ingredients

For The Coconut Custard:

• sugar
• cornstarch, arrowroot, or potato starch
• salt
• coconut milk
• egg yolks
• butter
• coconut extract
• vanilla extract

Fluffy toasted coconut sponge cake

Sponge cake is key in this recipe because you'll want a cake that won't weigh down your trifle, but sturdy enough to absorb some of the moisture from the custard and the pineapple without turning to mush. You'll need:

• toasted shredded coconut
• eggs
• sugar
• gluten-free flour or all purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• coconut milk
• butter
• coconut extract
• vanilla extract

Do I need a trifle bowl?

Technically, no. You can use any large, deep bowl. If it's clear you can see the layering, but that's not necessary either.

Here's a trifle dish on Amazon if you need a little guidance. You can find them in most stores that sell kitchenware.

How to Assemble This Coconut Trifle Dessert

It's showtime!

Once the sponge cake has cooled and the coconut custard has cooled, you can assemble your trifle! Just layer the ingredients in a trifle dish or large bowl and top with whipped cream.

How to make homemade coconut whipped topping

You can make easy coconut cream by putting a can of coconut cream upside down in the fridge for several hours. Flip the can back around and open it from the top. 

Discard all the liquid at the top, then transfer the chilled coconut cream into a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until it's fluffy. It won't be quite the same consistency as regular heavy whipping cream, but it'll do. 

When you put it on the trifle and chill it, the cream will harden in the fridge -- just a heads up. Leave it at room temp for a while to let it soften. 

Custard Trifle Variations and Substitutions

Can I use fresh pineapple?

Yep! Sure. 

Crushed is definitely more convenient, but if you want a more pronounced pineapple with a little more tartness, fresh would be your best bet. I actually liked it better when I was testing both!

Can this pineapple coconut trifle be dairy free?

Yes, but only if you're fond of coconut cream. Or leave out the heavy cream completely. And replace the butter with coconut oil. 

Can this be made into mini trifle cups?

Sure! This recipe makes about 20 4-ounce cups. You'll need slightly less cake and a little extra whipped cream to fill them all.

Tips

Tips for making the coconut custard:

1. Keep the burner lower than you think you need. It'll take a little more patience, but this custard burns quickly and if that happens -- it's all over my friends.
2. Stir a LOT. Because, again, it burns quickly. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom well.
3. Temper the egg yolks slowly. When you add the hot liquid to the yolks, do it in a tiny drizzle. (Yes, more patience.) You don't want to make scrambled egg custard.
4. If you make scrambled egg custard, you can always run it through a fine-mesh strainer to get the eggy parts out. Or some of the starch that has congealed. Sometimes that happens, too.

Tips for the sponge cake

1. Bake it a little longer than you'd normally bake a layer cake. You'll want it to be a little toasty so it doesn't get too mushy when the trifle has been sitting for a while. You'll want it to soak up some of the moisture from the custard and the pineapple juice, but not turn into a mushy mess.
2. Add the toasted coconut flakes to the cake batter -- if you want.

We had a little debate about adding the toasted coconut to the cake...

I loved the extra texture it gave the sponge cake and the chewiness of the coconut.

Steve didn't like the texture of the coconut in the cake and preferred the toasted coconut be added to the top of the trifle only or on individual servings to keep its crunch.

I see both sides. They're both great options. Go forth and make your own choice.

Storing Leftover Custard Trifle

If you happen to have some leftover trifle, simply cover the serving dish with plastic wrap and store chilled. Trifle tends to turn into a messy looking situation when being transferred to from container to container, but if you need to store it in a smaller one, you can also do that.

More Delicious Trifle Recipes

If you liked this coconut trifle recipe, you'll love these other trifle variations!

Strawberry Trifle -- this is the original recipe. And a classic. It's beyond delicious and always gets rave reviews.

Lemon Berry Mini Trifles -- This is a fun, citrusy twist on that original trifle recipe with mixed berries and a tart lemony custard! This recipe is divided into little cups!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Frequently Asked Questions

Coconut Trifle

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Chilling Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

This coconut trifle is somewhat a labor of love as all the components are made from scratch, but it's well worth it! Fluffy toasted coconut cake + creamy coconut custard + tart crushed pineapple + freshly whipped cream is THE dreamiest dessert.

Print

Ingredients

For the custard:

Toggle ingredient group

• 4 cups coconut milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 Tablespoons cornstarch, potato starch, or arrowroot starch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons coconut extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the sponge cake:

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 cups unsweetened toasted coconut flakes
• 3 eggs
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 cups gluten free flour blend
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the rest of the trifle

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream
• 2-3 Tablespoons sugar or maple syrup
• 1 20-oz can of crushed pineapple or an equivalent amount of finely diced fresh pineapple
• Extra toasted coconut flakes, for garnish (see note)

Special Equipment:

Toggle ingredient group

• A trifle dish or a large, deep glass bowl.

Instructions

FOR THE CUSTARD:

1. Whisk together coconut milk, sugar, preferred starch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
2. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks into a small bowl and whisk together.
3. Very slowly stir 1 cup of hot custard mixture into the egg yolks while whisking quickly; add egg yolk mixture back into saucepan slowly, stirring constantly.
4. Cook over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Stir frequently so the mixture doesn't scorch, scraping the bottom with a rubber spatula.
5. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla, stirring until butter melts.
   Cover with plastic wrap, gently pressing it onto surface. Chill at least 2 hours.

FOR THE SPONGE CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray.
2. Put the coconut flakes in a large dry skillet over medium low heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the coconut is toasted to your liking, about 10-12 minutes. Watch it closely because it burns easily!
3. Beat eggs at high speed with electric mixer for 3 min or until thick and pale.Gradually add sugar; beat 4 min.
4. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually fold into batter.
5. Combine coconut milk and butter in saucepan; cook over low heat until butter melts (or zap in the microwave). Gradually stir milk mixture and vanilla into batter.
6. If you are adding your 2 cups of toasted coconut flakes to your cake, fold it in the batter now. (See note)
7. Pour cake batter into prepared round cake pans. Bake for 16-18 min or until toothpick comes clean and the edges are golden brown. You'll want it to be a little more toasty than you'd regularly bake a cake.
8. Cool on wire racks for 10 min. Run a knife around the edges of the cake and invert the layers onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Cut or tear cake into 1 in. cubes.

FOR THE REST OF THE TRIFLE:


1. Whip the heavy cream for a minute or two with an electric mixer. Drizzle in the sugar or maple syrup. Continue whipping until the cream is stiff and stands on its own when you turn off the beaters and lift them out of the cream.
2. Stir about ½ cup of sweetened whipped cream into the chilled custard. Reserve the rest for the top of the trifle.
3. Spoon 1 cup custard on bottom of trifle bowl. Continue layering in this order: cake cubes, crushed pineapple, custard, until you run out of ingredients. Top with remaining whipped cream and extra toasted coconut flakes.
4. Serve immediately or cover and chill. The trifle will last longer than that, but the whipped cream on top will begin to wilt after a day or two, so if you're concerned about presentation, serve it within 24 hours.

Notes

1. There was a debate in our house on whether or not to add the coconut to the cake itself. I liked the texture and chewiness it added. Steve didn't like the texture and would rather have all of the toasted coconut on top or add it to individual servings as a garnish. Do what you like with this info.
2. If you're using really thick coconut milk (like Thai Kitchen) I recommend emptying 2 cans into a large glass measuring cup and whisking it thoroughly. This will make it easier to measure.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Anthony's Organic Shredded Coconut, 2 lb, Unsweetened, Gluten Free, Non GMO, Vegan, Keto Friendly
• 
  Anchor Hocking Monaco Trifle Bowl, Set of 1, Clear

Nutrition Information

Yield 12 Serving Size 1/10
Amount Per Serving Calories 829Total Fat 50gSaturated Fat 37gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 231mgSodium 397mgCarbohydrates 92gFiber 4gSugar 64gProtein 10g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Creamy Toasted Coconut Trifle appeared first on Perry's Plate.

I love this strawberry trifle for a lot of reasons...

It's freaking delicious.

It doesn't take much precision. If the cake falls apart when it comes out of the pan, who cares? It gets ripped apart anyway.

The custard is the best ever. Please don't substitute instant vanilla pudding. If you do you'll wonder what all the fuss is about (and it won't be freaking delicious.)

This trifle won me $75 in a bake off when my husband was in grad school.

It reminds me of my mom. She made these for big family dinners.

One time we made one together for Easter, and I stuck it in the garage fridge.  I couldn't find a place for it, so I put it in the door. My dad went out later to get a pop, swung the door open hard, and the whole trifle came crashing down on the garage floor.

We kind of blame each other for that one. I shouldn't have put it in the door, yet my dad has pretty rough, jerky movements.

That was a very, very sad day. We were more saddened by the loss of the trifle than the bowl itself.

AND It gives me an excuse to use my trifle bowl.

This recipe fills one standard trifle dish or can be made into about 20 4-ounce "shots" shown above. You'll need slightly less cake and strawberries and more whipped cream to make the shots.

I made these for a wedding open house I catered and they were a big hit. I also made a Nutella Brownie version which was just as amazing. I put the variation instructions in the recipe. You're welcome :)

If you like this recipe, try this variation: Lemon Berry Mini Trifles. I created a tart, lemon custard and paired it with berries. It's delicious!SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

If you make this recipe, be sure to post it to social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Strawberry Holiday Trifle

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

If you've never had a trifle completely made from scratch, you haven't lived! This one is the best. And easily adapted to be gluten & dairy free.

Print

Ingredients

For the custard:

Toggle ingredient group

• ⅔ cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons potato starch, arrowroot starch, or tapioca starch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk (almond or coconut)
• 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons butter or coconut oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

For the sponge cake:

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup gluten-free flour blend
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk (almond or coconut)
• 2 Tablespoons butter or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the trifle:

Toggle ingredient group

• 4 pints strawberries, rinsed, hulled and chopped
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• ¾ cup slivered almonds (optional)
• 1 ¼ cups of heavy whipping cream
• 2-3 Tablespoons sugar or pure maple syrup

Instructions

FOR THE CUSTARD:

1. Whisk together sugar, preferred starch, salt and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
2. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks into a small bowl and whisk together.
3. Gradually stir ½ cup of hot custard mixture into the egg yolks and stir well; add egg yolk mixture back into saucepan, stirring constantly.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 2 min.
5. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla, stirring until butter melts.
6. Cover with plastic wrap, gently pressing it onto surface. Chill at least 2 hours.

FOR THE SPONGE CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat eggs at high speed with electric mixer for 3 min or until thick and pale.
3. Gradually add sugar; beat 4 min.
4. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually fold into batter.
5. Combine milk and butter in saucepan; cook over low heat until butter melts (or zap in the microwave). Gradually stir milk mixture and vanilla into batter.
6. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8” round cake pans. Bake for 16 min or until toothpick comes clean.
7. Cool on wire racks for 10 min. Remove from pans; cool completely on racks. Cut or tear into 1 in. cubes.

FOR THE REST OF THE TRIFLE:

1. Combine strawberries and sugar. Refrigerate for a couple of hours until they get really juicy.
2. Whip the whipping cream until soft peaks with an electric mixer for a minute or two. Drizzle in the sugar or maple syrup. Continue whipping until the cream is stiff and stands on its own when you turn off the beaters and life them out of the cream.
3. Stir about ½ cup of sweetened whipped cream into the chilled custard.
4. Spoon ½ cup custard on bottom of trifle bowl. Sprinkle with ¼ cup almonds (if using). Continue layering in this order: cake cubes, strawberries, custard, until you run out of ingredients. Top with remaining whipped cream. Cover and chill.

Chocolate variation: Use prepared brownies in place of sponge cake and stir ½ cup Nutella into the custard after it has cooled. Layer: custard, brownies, a few drizzles of Nutella, (repeated) and add the whipped cream on top. 

Nutrition Information

Yield 10 Serving Size 1 cup
Amount Per Serving Calories 562Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 162mgSodium 252mgCarbohydrates 75gFiber 4gSugar 54gProtein 10g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Strawberry Trifle (from scratch) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

This lemon berry trifle is a twist on my original recipe with lemon sponge cake, tangy buttermilk lemon custard, and a mix of berries in a syrup that drips its way down through the layers. It’s heaven in a cup, I’m telling you.

Plus they’re in individual cups for a beautiful presentation and can be made a day or two ahead of time!

I made the custard from my trifle recipe, using buttermilk and lemon juice instead of regular milk. (Hello, tang.)  Then I combined the rest of the frozen raspberries with some frozen blueberries and layered it with the custard and the leftover cake... with a dollop of freshly whipped cream on top. The cake recipe I used for the cupcakes was more time consuming and dirtied more dishes than the sponge cake from my trifle recipe, so I made a few tweaks to the sponge cake and added it to the recipe below.

The sweet, gooey berries were a perfect pairing with the tangy custard and the fluffy, slightly-lemony cake. I could dive into a big bowl of this and never come out.

I found these cute little trifle dishes at Walmart. They were only $3-4 a piece (I think). You can also use stemless wine glasses (like the ones below), 8-ounce ramekins or small bowls. If you need something disposable for an event, here are some great little plastic parfait cups! Clear bowls make for a prettier presentation when it comes to trifles, but honestly... you kind of forget how pretty it is once you take a few bites.

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If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Lemon-Berry Mini Trifles

Yield: Makes 4 trifles

The only thing better than a full-sized trifle is a few mini trifles in cute little dishes! These desserts are perfect for Valentine's Day, too!

Print

Ingredients

Lemon Custard:

Toggle ingredient group

• ⅔ cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cup buttermilk
• 3 large lemons
• 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Sponge Cake:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 egg
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ tsp. salt
• ⅓ cup buttermilk
• 1 T butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

For the trifles:

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
• 2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 ¼ cup heavy cream, whipped and sweetened to taste (or 2-2 ½ cups of whipped cream)

Instructions

1. For the custard: Remove the zest from both lemons and set aside. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, buttermilk, and juice from both lemons (about ½ cup) in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
2. Stir about ¼ of mixture into egg yolks; add egg yolk mixture back into saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 min.
3. Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla, stirring until butter melts. Cover with plastic wrap, gently pressing it onto surface; chill at least 2 hours.
4. For the sponge cake: Beat egg at high speed with electric mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) 3 min or until thick and pale. Gradually add sugar and lemon zest; beat 4 min.
5. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually fold into batter.
6. Combine milk and butter in saucepan; cook over low heat until butter melts (or zap in the microwave). Gradually stir milk mixture and vanilla into batter.
7. Pour into a greased and floured 8” round cake pan. Bake at 350 for 16 min or until toothpick comes clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 min. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack. Cut into 1 in. cubes.
8. When you're ready to assemble the trifles, mix the thawed berries and sugar in a bowl. Set aside. Whip the cream with an electric mixer, adding your preferred sweetener, to taste, during the whipping. (I added about 1 T of sugar.) Fold a couple of heaping spoonfuls of the cream into the custard. Set aside the rest for the topping.
9. In trifle cups or a small serving bowl, layer custard, cake cubes, and berry mixture. Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients. If you're using small cups, you may only be able to layer twice. Top with remaining custard. Cover and chill. Top with whipped cream when you're ready to serve. 

Notes

1. I used 4 stemless wine glasses and was able to layer everything twice to fill them halfway before adding whipped cream to the top.
2. This recipe is easily doubled if you want to make a full size one in a standard sized trifle dish.
3. I used King Arthur 1:1 gluten free flour and it worked beautifully in the sponge cake.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour
• 
  Anchor Hocking Presence Mini Trifle Footed Dessert Bowls, Set Of 4
• 
  Anchor Hocking Monaco Trifle Bowl, Set of 1, Clear
• 
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**This recipe was updated and rewritten on 2/10/21 for more clarity & consistency.**

I think we've been conditioned as a culture to fear souffle baking.

How many cartoons did you watch as a kid where it showed a front door slamming and immediately cut over to the kitchen where it shows a souffle falling in the oven?

They're really not that temperamental. Feel free to slam a door or two while you make these.

If you're comfortable working with egg whites, then these are a cinch and they only take about 30-40 minutes from start to finish.

These were inspired by a recipe from an Austrian dessert cookbook I used to have. The recipe intrigued me, but it needed an overhaul because it was REALLY poorly written.

Like, lots of important steps missing. And no indication of the size or number of ramekins. Yikes, man.

So, I cleaned it up for you.

Oh, did I mention this recipe only has four ingredients?!

Only 4 ingredients!

Yep. Truth.

• Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• Lemon juice
• Egg whites
• Honey or whatever liquid or granulated sweetener you prefer

How to make Paleo Strawberry Souffles

First, buzz up your strawberries -- either in a blender or a food processor.

Then, strain the seeds out. I strain them right into the bowl of my stand mixer with a fine-mesh metal strainer.

After adding the lemon juice and part of the egg whites and sweetener, it gets whipped like crazy. 

The first time I made these I was surprised that you could add that many ingredients to egg whites and still have them fluff up that nicely.

Egg whites can be temperamental. Like teenage girls.

You end up with this bowl of fluffy, pink heaven. Seriously, stick your finger in that strawberry fluff.

See that bowl on the bottom with the white stuff?

That's the other part of the egg and sweetener. That will get whipped up as well and make more of a meringue-type of thing.

Strawberry clouds, yo.

Aren't those swirls so pretty??

Pile that strawberry fluff into 6 ramekins. Pile them high. 

They puff up, but they puff STRAIGHT up.

There will be a little bubbling around the edges, but very little will ooze out of the ramekins, if anything.

I have these 6-ounce ramekins on Amazon and I use them a lot. You could use 8-ounce ounce ones, if that's what you have.

Is it normal for soufflés to fall?

Yes, a little.

A couple minutes after they come out of the oven, they'll start to fall.

Don't worry, it's normal.

You can eat them as soon as they're cool enough not to burn your face off.

When they finish falling they'll be slightly lower than the edge of the ramekin.

If they fall all the way down to the bottom of the ramekin, then something is off. Maybe overbeaten egg whites or too much puree?

Can you eat strawberry soufflés cold?

Yep! You can refrigerate these strawberry soufflés and eat them chilled.

(We actually liked them better chilled!)

My daughter likes hers frozen!

If you want, you can throw a little whipped cream on top. I've see sprayable coconut and almond milk whipped cream at Trader Joe's and other grocery stores.

I love that there are dairy-free options now!

(Although the real thing is pretty fantastic.)

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Paleo Strawberry Souffles

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 8 ounces strawberries (thawed, if frozen)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 Tablespoons honey, divided
• 3 egg whites, divided
• 6 6-ounce ramekins (8-ounce ramekins are fine, too)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
3. Blend the strawberries in a blender or a food processor. Pour the puree into the strainer to remove the seeds and use a rubber spatula to press the puree through the holes, getting as much puree out as you can. Discard the seeds and thick pulp.
4. To the strawberry puree, add the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the honey, and 1 egg white. Whip for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is very fluffy and has reached soft peak phase. (If you remove a beater, the mixture should stand up on its own with the "peak" of the mixture flopping over a little.)
5. In a separate, medium sized bowl, whip the remaining 2 egg whites with a hand mixer until it gets bubbly, then drizzle in the remaining tablespoon of honey. Continue to beat the egg whites until they reach soft peak as well. (See note)
6. Gently fold the white egg white mixture into the pink mixture. Don't overstir or you'll lose volume.
7. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. (DO NOT GREASE THEM.) Divide the fluffy strawberry mixture among the ramekins. They'll be very full.
8. Bake them on a rack in the center of the oven for 15-16 minutes. Or until the top of each souffle is stiff and has golden brown spots -- like a toasted marshmallow.
9. Remove from the oven and serve as soon as they've cooled off enough to eat. Serve as is or top with a little whipped cream.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. If you have a stand mixer, you can whip both mixtures at the same time! Get the first mixture started in your stand mixer and then use a hand-held mixer to whip the other mixture. They should be done close to the same time.
2. Feel free to use a different sweetener if you like. Maple syrup, monkfruit sweetener, or regular sugar all work well here. Avoid using a super concentrated sweetener like Stevia drops or it'll affect the texture of the souffles.
3. These soufflés will fall quite a bit after they've been removed from the oven. They're also good frigerated. (My daughter even likes them frozen. Haha.)

Recommended Products

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  Set of 8 PCS 6 oz Round Porcelain Oven Safe Ramekin Dessert Souffle Baking Dish(3.5 INCHES) (WHITE)

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The post Paleo Strawberry Souffles (4 Ingredients!) appeared first on Perry's Plate.