Trifle is a traditional Christmas dessert here in New Zealand and possibly in other parts of the world but I have never celebrated Christmas anywhere other than in New Zealand and we have always celebrated the end of the meal with a trifle.
Last year I made a gluten free trifle and used a flourless chocolate cake as the sponge but this year I wanted something more traditional. So I began searching for a gluten free sponge recipe. And of course, I didn’t have to look far. The Edmonds Cookery book, which has been New Zealand’s favourite recipe book since it was first published in 1908, had three recipes for a sponge cake that I could adapt to gluten free.
I chose the Light-As-Air-Sponge recipe as it only had one tablespoon of flour so thought it might adapt easier. The recipe is available online so I am presuming it is ok here to reproduce.
Edmonds Light As Air Sponge Cake
Ingredients
3 eggs, separated
3/4c caster sugar
3/4c cornflour (cornstarch)
1tbsp gluten free flour (your favourite gluten free mix)
1tsp gluten free baking powder
2tsp golden syrup
1tbsp boiling water
Preheat oven to 190c
1) Grease two 20cm round sponge sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper. (I used the wrong sized tins and my sponges went flat in the middle but they were fine for trifle. Try to use the correct size sandwich pans for a better result.)
2) Beat egg whites until stiff
3) Beat in sugar
4) Beat in egg yolks
5) Sift cornflour, flour and baking powder into the egg mixture
6) Dissolve golden syrup in boiling water and add to egg mixture, stirring in gently with a metal spoon.
7) Pour into prepared tins and bake for 20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in the middle.
8 ) Leave in tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Strawberry Trifle with Mascarpone (recipe adapted from a Foodtown magazine)
Ingredients
400g strawberries (2 small containers or 1 large)
250g mascarpone (room temperature)
3tbsp caster sugar
1/2c whipped cream
1/2c each of strawberry or orange flavoured liqueur and 1/2c orange juice
1 sponge (recipe above or if you can buy a gluten free sponge, go ahead)
Slivered chocolate for garnishing
1) Beat the mascarpone with a wooden spoon
2) Add the sugar and beat again
3) Fold in the whipped cream
4) Finely slice 125g strawberries and fold into cream mixture
5) Combine liqueur and orange juice (or if you have a pregnant woman in the house like I did at Christmas time, use 1c orange juice and leave out the liqueur.)
6) Cut the sponge into fingers and dip them in the liqueur mix until they have absorbed some liquid (not soggy).
7) Line the base of a glass bowl with the sponge fingers.
8 ) Slice the remaining strawberries not quite so finely.
9) Add a layer of strawberries on top of the sponge. (I should have added more strawberries, especially around the edges as my layers are hard to see).
10) Cover the strawberry layer with mascarpone mix.
11) Repeat these layers finishing with the mascarpone layer, until you have filled the trifle bowl.
12) Top with the remaining strawberries.
13) Cover and chill in the fridge for 6 hours.
14) Garnish with slivered chocolate before serving (I forgot to do this as it was unexpectedly hectic)
UPDATED January 9
Here is a little story about where the eggs came from for my trifle.
Did this taste as wonderful as it looks??????
I’ve been wondering about Aitch – all ok?
To be honest I was so busy Christmas day that I didn’t get to have any until the next day and yes, it was good.
Aitch is doing very well.
This looks and sounds delicious! I’m very excited to try it, thanks
Let me know if you do try it.
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