Low-Carb English Trifle

Step 1Make the custard. Prepare the Keto Vanilla Custard by following this recipe. Chill it overnight so it’s fully set before assembling.

Step 2Bake the cake. Prepare the Madeira Cake by following the instructions here. Place it on a rack to cool completely.

Step 3Start the berry layer. Add all the berries to a saucepan with 4 tablespoons of water and 3 tablespoons of sweetener. Warm gently over low-medium heat until fully thawed.

Step 4Reserve the rum sauce. Ladle about ³/₄ cup (180 ml) of the berry sauce into a small bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of rum (or more/none, depending on preference).

Step 5Soften the gelatin. Place the gelatin leaves in a shallow dish with a little water to soften.

Step 6Finish the berry gelatin layer. Reheat the remaining berry sauce (the one without rum). Once hot, add the softened gelatin and stir until fully dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.

Step 7Whip the cream. Add the cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sweetener, and vanilla to a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Step 8Slice the cake. Cut the cooled cake into 10 slices, then cut each slice into quarters.

Step 9Start layering. Add half of the cake pieces to a large trifle bowl (mine is 3.6 L). Drizzle with half of the rum-berry sauce.

Step 10Add custard and cream. Spread half of the custard over the cake, then half of the whipped cream. Add the remaining cake pieces and drizzle with the remaining rum-berry sauce. Finish with the remaining custard, spreading it evenly.

Step 11Add the berry topping. Pour the cooled gelatin-berry mixture over the top. Refrigerate for 1–2 hours, or until the top layer is fully set.

Step 12Pipe the cream. Transfer the remaining whipped cream to a piping bag and refrigerate until needed.

Step 13Decorate and chill. Once the berry layer is set, pipe the cream around the top. Add toasted flaked almonds (if you want them crunchy, add them right before serving). Chill until ready to serve.

Step 14Serve. Scoop out servings with a large spoon. Trifle is meant to be messy, so no need to fuss with perfect layers.