Vegan Trifle

Author: Anna Glover

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

• 50ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 200ml plant milk

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• 125g caster sugar

• 200g self-raising flour

For the compote:

• 400g raspberries or mixed berries, fresh or frozen

• 100g caster sugar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the custard:

• 50g cornflour

• 500ml plant milk

• 75g caster sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

• a pinch turmeric

For the cream:

• 250ml whippable plant cream

• 2-3 tsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

To serve:

• 300g raspberries

• 10 mint leaves

• 3 tbsp flaked almonds

Instructions:

1. To make the sponge, heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and oil and line a 20cm square or round cake tin with parchment. Mix the vegetable oil, vanilla paste, lemon juice and plant milk in a jug. Tip the baking powder, caster sugar and flour into a large bowl. Make a well and slowly whisk in the vegetable oil mixture until smooth, then spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 mins until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, make the compote. Put the raspberries, sugar, lemon and 50ml water in a small pan, bring to a simmer and cook for 4-6 mins until the fruit breaks down a little to a sauce. Remove and set aside to cool.

3. To make the custard, put the cornflour in a bowl and add a splash of the cold plant milk, and stir until lump-free. Pour this mixture into a saucepan with the remaining ingredients, including the rest of the milk, and cook over a low heat for 6-8 mins, stirring often, until you get a thick custard that coats the back of a spoon thickly. Cover the surface with a piece of parchment and set aside to cool.

4. To assemble, cut the sponge into squares or fingers, and place in the bottom of a trifle dish. Spoon over the compote, then add 150g of the raspberries. Give the cooled custard a brief whisk, then pour over the top of the raspberries. Chill for 1-2 hrs until the custard has set.

5. Whip all of the ingredients for the cream together until you get soft peaks (it's best to taste the cream for sweetness before adding the icing sugar), and spoon over the top of the set custard. Chill until ready to serve. Scatter with the remaining raspberries, mint, almonds and a dusting of icing sugar to decorate, if you like.