Raw, Vegan Strawberry Chocolate “Trifle”
Tri-fle: noun: A thing of little importance. Britt: a cold dessert of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream. Ok…so we are taking raw food liberties again…it really isn’t a traditional trifle but it is a darn good raw version!
I remember the first trifle I ever had. I was in dessert heaven simply because I love contrast. I love hot/cold, crunchy/smooth, sweet/sour. Texture, temperature, and flavors at odds can create the most interesting dishes. Encountering a dessert that combined different layers of taste and texture both fascinated and delighted me.
In this strawberry chocolate trifle, there are 4 different textures and 4 different flavors. Starting with the crunchy layer, topped with a ganache layer, this trifle then moves into a chocolate mousse topped with strawberries and then finally a vanilla mousse! Lather, rinse repeat and you have a beautiful layered dessert that will delight the taste buds. This is a great addition to your healthy dessert recipes!
Remember, this is a dessert and should be treated as such. Raw desserts are a wonderful addition to a healthy raw diet, but should not be the center of one.
Raw Strawberry Chocolate Trifle
Serves 8
Crunchy Layer
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (granulated)
- 4 dates, coarsely chopped
- Place all ingredients in blender and pulse until well combined.
Ganache Layer
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- Whisk all ingredients together until smooth and well combined.
Vanilla “Mousse”
- 1 1/2 cup cashews, soaked until soft
- 1/4 cup liquid sweetener, I used maple syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 vanilla bean (scrape out interior and use)
- Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.
- Refrigerate until set. Make sure you give this enough time. It will take a few hours.
Chocolate “Mousse”
- 1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked until soft
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup liquid sweetener, I used maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
- Blend all ingredients in high-speed blender until smooth.
- Refrigerate until set.
For Assembly:
- 1 pint strawberries
- Slice strawberries thinly.
- Layer crunch, ganache, chocolate “mousse”, strawberries, vanilla “mousse”, strawberries, vanilla “mousse”, chocolate “mousse”, ganache and crunch.
- Alternatively…layer any way you want.
*I layered this in 4 10 oz glasses. Each glass makes 2 servings for a total of 4 servings. If you want separate servings, use smaller glasses. Or, make it in one big bowl!
Sarah wrote on February 19, 2014
Any suggestions for substitutions for the coconut oil? I can tolerate some, but the recipe calls for quite a bit by the time all the layers are added up.
Susan wrote on February 19, 2014
Please see the substitution page in the FAQ section. 🙂
Nan Story wrote on February 19, 2014
What could you use in lieu of cashews? Cant eat cashews!
Michele wrote on February 19, 2014
This is delicious….thank you for the creative and delicious inspiration to choose raw!
Susan wrote on February 19, 2014
Michele, so glad I can inspire you! Cheers!
shartran wrote on February 19, 2014
I am always asked to make ‘my’ trifle at certain events, but will try this one next time! Sounds and looks devine!
Susan wrote on February 19, 2014
Shratran, I bet you have a wonderful trifle! Cheers!
Holly wrote on February 18, 2014
beautiful! and all of my favorite ingredients:)
i’ll be making it this week for sure
Susan wrote on February 19, 2014
Yay! I think you will really like it! 🙂
Zana wrote on February 18, 2014
Please help me understand the process for soaking the cashews. Do I use the 1/2 cup in the recipe or use the 1/2 cup after the cashews are soaked and drained ? Thanks for the advice.
Susan wrote on February 19, 2014
Follow the recipe, exactly. If it says 2 cups cashews, soaked over night – you start with 2 cups cashews and soak them. If the recipe calls for 2 cups soaked nuts, you would measure after soaking. Make sense? 🙂
Carol McKenzie wrote on February 18, 2014
I made this! It’s nowhere near as pretty as yours but the family cares not. I was too impatient for the mousse to set up all the way, so the layers ran together a bit. But again, no cares at all. I still have enough mousse and crumble left for a fruitless version (my secret…I told the family there were no leftovers.)
Little tip: make the vanilla mousse first and you don’t have to clean the blender between making the two mousses 🙂
Susan wrote on February 19, 2014
Carol, great suggestion! 🙂
Amber wrote on February 18, 2014
This looks divine! Would it be possible to use a natural stevia instead of a liquid sweetener such as honey/maple syrup? Obviously I wouldnt use 1/4 of vanilla stevia (my stevia has the same consistency as honey) But would it dramatically change the texture of the Mousse? How much would you recommend using?
Loving your recipes!
🙂
Corien wrote on February 18, 2014
As usual your recepies and beautiful pictures make my heart jump for joy and make me wanna run to the kitchen and make it myself. (I just have to ‘wait’ a few hours till work is done, jump on my bike and get me self some strawberries!)