Summer Berry & Apple Jelly Trifle — Layers of Coconut Cream

🛒 Ingredients

• #Vanilla Sponge Layer;
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour.. ¾ cup coconut sugar or cane sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder.. ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsweetened plant milk (soy, almond, or oat)
• ⅓ cup neutral oil (sunflower or coconut oil, melted)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar.. 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• #Berry & Apple Jelly Layer;
• 3 cups mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries — fresh or frozen)
• 1 medium apple — peeled, cored, diced small
• 3½ cups fruit juice (apple or white grape)
• ½ cup coconut sugar or maple syrup
• 4–5 tbsp agar-agar powder (vegan gelatin substitute)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• #Soaking Syrup;
• ½ cup fruit juice (apple or orange)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup.. 1 tsp lemon juice
• #Coconut Cream Layer;
• 2 cans (400 ml each) full-fat coconut cream — chilled overnight, use only thick top layer
• 3–4 tbsp maple syrup or powdered sugar.. 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: ½ tsp coconut cream stabilizer or 1 tsp cornstarch (for extra firmness)
• #Fresh Fruit Toppings;
• Sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
• Thinly sliced apple or stone fruit
• Edible flowers or fresh mint (optional, for garnish)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Bake the sponge: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Mix dry ingredients, then add milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir gently. Pour into pan and bake 20–25 minutes until golden. Cool completely, then cut to fit your glass bowl.

2. 2

   Make the jelly: In a saucepan, whisk fruit juice, sugar, lemon juice, and agar-agar until dissolved. Add diced apple, bring to gentle boil, simmer 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in berries. Let cool 10–15 minutes.

3. 3

   Assemble first layers: Place sponge at bottom of bowl. Brush generously with soaking syrup. Pour warm jelly mixture evenly over sponge. Cover and chill 4–6 hours (or overnight) until jelly is fully firm.

4. 4

   Whip coconut cream: Scoop only thick solid cream from chilled cans — discard watery liquid. Add maple syrup and vanilla. Whip 2–3 minutes until fluffy and thick.

5. 5

   Finish & chill: Spread whipped cream thickly over set jelly. Top generously with fresh berries, apple slices, and flowers. Chill at least 1 more hour. Serve cold, spooning through all beautiful layers!