Amazing Blueberry Trifle (Dairy-free)

I made this to take to a BBQ a few weeks ago and everyone agreed that it was fantastic. I think it may have been the best dessert I've made and eaten in a long time. It's cold and refreshing on a summer day but creamy and rich at the same time. Blueberries pair really well with the slight coconut flavor of the coconut milk. There are a few steps involved but all three components can be made ahead and the trifle can be assembled a few hours in advance.

Dairy-Free Blueberry Trifle

Pound Cake
1 cup dairy-free margarine (I use Earth Balance)
1 cup sugar
4 extra large eggs
2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup. coconut milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350*.
In a large bowl, cream the butter substitute until light. Add the sugar and then the eggs one at a time and beat until mixture is light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, blend together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a third small bowl or large measuring cup, mix together coconut milk and vanilla.

Alternately add the wet and dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Scrape down sides well and only mix until just combined.

Pour into a well greased 9x5 bread pan. Bake about 1 hour or until the top of the cake springs back when you press on it gently or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Dairy-Free Pastry Cream

4 cups coconut milk (canned, full fat)
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 egg yolks
1/4 c. corn starch
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
Take the pan off the heat and strain pastry cream through a fine sieve. Stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the cream (to prevent it forming a skin) and refrigerate until cold or up to a few days.


Blueberry Sauce

1 1/2 pints blueberries
2 cups blueberry juice
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 pint blueberries for garnish

In a medium sauce pan, mix together all ingredients (except for the vanilla and garnish berries) and bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring well every minute, or two or until the mixture starts to thicken slightly and the berries break down. Using an immersion blender (or a regular blender) puree sauce until almost smooth. Add vanilla. Let cool and refrigerate until ready to use.



Okay, so now you have your cooled pound cake, your cold pastry cream, and your cold blueberry sauce. Now it's time to assemble your trifle. Cut the pound cake into cubes.

In a straight-sided, glass bowl, put in a layer of pound cake.

Top the pound cake with pastry cream.

Pour in a layer of blueberry sauce.

Continue layering the trifle like this until you've used all of the ingredients. Top the trifle with the leftover blueberries.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to let the cake soak up some of the sauce and to let the whole thing "tighten up".

This trifle is really worth the effort. It makes enough for a crowd. You could try substituting other berries or summer fruits for the blueberries (though you may have to adjust the amount of sugar in the sauce).

After typing up this recipe and seeing this pictures again, I think I need another reason to make a trifle. Let's see.... how about a "Happy Wednesday" trifle... or a "Happy Dessert Before Dinner Day"??