A friend's comment that she was having adverse reaction to dairy foods (particularly milk), made me work out my favorite trifle without milk. I tried not to compromise the taste so it took three tries and many tastings (my favorite part), to get this right.
Trifle Without Milk
One box white cake mix (comes out the best and lightest).
One pound fresh strawberries, sliced. (You can used canned, frozen fruit).
4 cups water
4 Tbsps cornstarch
4 Tbsps splenda/sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch cardamom (optional)
1/2 cup strawberry jam.
Juice of one lemon...2 Tbsps
Sherry (optional)
1 small can pineapple juice or if you're using canned fruit then juice from can.
1 tub whipped non-dairy topping.
Hershey's chocolate syrup for decoration.
Bake cake according to package directions.
Allow to cool.
(I use about half of the cake baked in a 9 by 11 pan for a large bowl of trifle for 6-8 people and all the cake for 16-20 people).
If making it for 16-20 people double the custard recipe.
First set aside some strawberry slices for decoration.
In a small bowl mix cornstarch with cold water till smooth.
Bring rest of water to boil in a saucepan, add cornstarch, keep stirring till it boils for 2 mins.
Add Splenda/sugar, sliced fruit, vanilla essence, cardamom, jam and cook till fruit is soft.
Add lemon juice.
Taste. It should be sweet but not TOO sweet with just a hint of lemon.
Mix should be thick but not too thick...if it is, add some more water.
It should be like a custard at this stage or thick idli batter.
Arrange cake slices in one layer...I layer it with 2" cubes as I just have one layer...you can do slices if you want to repeat layers.
Pour sherry evenly over cake, add pineapple juice to wet cake but don't drown it.
Pour strawberry mix over it...this too will go into the cake but the rest will set as an even layer.
Refrigerate till cool.
Spread whipped topping in a layer.
Decorate with chocolate and strawberry slices.
Serve well chilled.
The last time I made it the trifle in ready-to-serve individual glass bowls and the layers showed up well. The friend who doesn't tolerate milk was thrilled and other friends I've made it for didn't miss the custard. Everyone agrees this is a scrumptious dessert.
