Carrot Halwa Trifle (Vegan, Gluten and Soy-Free)
Carrot halwa trifle is a modern take on a traditional Indian dessert that comprises carrots, nuts, and spices. Make this easy carrot halwa trifle ahead of time to impress your friends and family.
What is Carrot Halwa Trifle?
Carrot halwa trifle is my vegan and Western take on the classic Indian carrot halwa or gajar ka halwa. Gajar ka halwa is a traditional Indian dessert made with shredded carrots that are roasted and simmered with nuts, spices, and milk. Gajar halwa tastes like a moist and spiced Indian carrot crumble. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free and soy-free.
A good gajar ka halwa involves slow cooking and simmering shredded carrots with milk, sugar, and nuts. As the carrots caramelize, you can smell the sweet aroma of carrots with nutty cardamom and nuts. It takes me back to my childhood days.
I tested this recipe with various plant-based milks (almond, soy, and cashews) and everyone at home agrees that cashew milk and ground cashews are the way to go. Cashew milk gives halwa the sweetness and creaminess that milk or milk fat gives to a traditional gajar ka halwa.
Ingredients
Good carrot halwa requires a mixture of nuts, spices, and carrots for a wonderful combination of textures and flavors. Here are the ingredients you will need to make this elegant trifle:
Carrot Halwa
- safflower oil
- raw cashews
- raisins
- pistachios
- carrots
- coarsely ground cashews
- cashew milk
- coconut sugar
- vegan butter
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- cardamom powder
- saffron
Coconut Whipped Cream
- vegan cream cheese
- powdered sugar
- vanilla bean
- coconut cream
- guar gum
For Garnish
- pistachios
Instructions
This carrot halwa trifle recipe includes a few components including making the carrot halwa and preparing the coconut whipped cream. Here is how you make it:
The Carrot Halwa
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cashews and cook them until they are light gold, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the raisins and pistachios, and cook until the raisins swell up, about another 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the grated carrots to the skillet and cook them for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the ground cashews and cashew milk and mix well. Reduce the heat to low-medium and cook for 15-20 minutes.
5. Add coconut sugar, vegan butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and saffron, mixing well.
6. Cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all of the cashew milk has almost been absorbed. Serve cold or warm.
Coconut Whipped Cream
- In a large bowl, mix vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla with a handheld mixer until creamy. Set aside.
2. In another large bowl, whip coconut cream and gum until stiff.
3. Carefully fold in the vegan cream cheese.
4. Chill for at least 30 minutes before using, as it will firm up a bit.
For Assembly
- Divide a few scoops of the vegan carrot halwa mixture between 4 tall glasses and press it down a little.
2. Top the halwa mixture with ground pistachios.
3. Top it with the coconut frosting.
4. Repeat the layers until the glasses are full.
Variations
This carrot halwa trifle includes several essential ingredients, but rest assured that you could vary it in some instances if you would like to change it up:
- Replace the Nuts: If you don’t have pistachios or cashews on hand, you could easily replace them with other types of nuts. Almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts would all be delicious options in this delicious Indian-inspired dessert.
- Use Different Dried Fruit: While raisins are a classic pairing with carrots in many different kinds of carrot desserts, you can feel free to replace them with other dried fruit if preferred. Dried currants or cranberries are excellent replacements as they are similar in size, but you could also use chopped dried fruit such as dried apricots.
- Add Shredded Coconut: If you would like to amplify the taste of the coconut in this trifle recipe, you could garnish the individual trifles with shredded coconut. Feel free to toast it in the oven as well if you prefer the taste of toasted coconut.
How to Store Carrot Halwa Trifle
The individual glasses of carrot halwa trifle should be covered and stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve them. They should keep for up to 3 to 4 days.
Carrot Halwa Trifle (Vegan, Gluten and Soy-Free)
Ingredients
Carrot Halwa
- 2 teaspoons safflower oil
- 3 tablespoons
raw cashews (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 2 tablespoons pistachios (chopped)
- 21/2 cups carrots (grated)
- 1/4 cup coarsely ground cashews
- 11/4 cup cashew milk*
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 strands saffron
Coconut Whipped Cream
- 1 cup vegan cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (split and seeds scraped)
- 1 cup
coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon guar gum
Garnish
- 1 cup ground pistachios
Instructions
Carrot Halwa
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cashews and cook until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add the raisins and pistachios and cook until the raisins swell up about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the grated carrots to the skillet and cook them for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground cashews and cashew milk and mix well. Reduce the heat to low-medium and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Add coconut sugar, vegan butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and saffron, mixing well. Cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until all of the cashew milk has almost been absorbed.
- Serve warm or chilled.*Soak 1 cup raw cashews in hot water for 15 minutes (cashews can be soaked in room temperature water for two hours or overnight as well - whatever works for your schedule). Drain and rinse. Add cashews to the blender with 3 cups of water. Blend starting on low speed and increasing to high until smooth and frothy, about 40 seconds. Store in a lidded container for up to three days.
Coconut Whipped Cream
- In a large bowl, mix vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla with a handheld mixer until creamy. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whip coconut cream and gum until stiff, then carefully fold in vegan cream cheese.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before using, as it will firm up a bit.
Trifle
- Prepare 4 tall glasses- add a few scoops of the vegan carrot halwa mixture and press it down a little, top with ground pistachios and with coconut frosting. Repeat until the glasses are full.The carrot halwa trifle must be stored in the refrigerator and will stay good for 3-4 days.
BON APPÉTIT!
FAQ
Carrot halwa is a dessert that originated in India, comprising carrots, milk, spices, and nuts. The mixture is cooked in a pot on the stove, and can be served hot or cold. Usually, this dish includes dairy in the form of milk and ghee, but this carrot halwa trifle recipe uses neither.
Trifle is an English dessert that involves layering cubes of sponge cake with whipped cream, custard, and fruit or jelly. Trifles can vary according to the people who make them, though, and there are in fact many variations. This carrot halwa trifle is a unique take on English-style trifle by marrying it with a delicious Indian dessert.
Yes, if you would prefer not to make this trifle recipe in individual glasses, you could assemble it in a large trifle bowl instead. Using a clear trifle bowl will ensure you can see all the layers through the glass.
The best glasses to choose are ones that are clear so you can see the ingredients through the glass. The glasses should also be tall, allowing you to combine several layers.
To make homemade cashew milk rather than purchasing it, soak 1 cup raw cashews in hot water for 15 minutes or overnight before draining and rinsing them. Then, add the cashews to a blender with 3 cups of water. Blend starting on low speed and increasing to high until the mixture is smooth and frothy, about 40 seconds. Then, you can store the milk in a lidded container for up to 3 days.
Yes, cashew milk has a multitude of nutrients, making it a healthy addition to your cooking and baking. Some of these include fat, protein, magnesium, iron, and potassium. It is a wonderful replacement for dairy as it has excellent flavor and a delicious creaminess reminiscent of full-fat dairy.
Related
If you are looking for other individual-sized desserts, consider trying these recipes:
Simptreat.Com
While I m usually strictly a chocolate person, there s something about the spring that makes me seriously crave carrot cake. It s always on the menu for our Easter celebrations, and I love making it for friends and family this time of year.
veggiecurean
Awesome. This is a good one for Easter menu.
Sim
What can I substitute guar gum with pls suggest. I stay in France & I don’t know what to look for in stores.
veggiecurean
Hi Sim, you can replace it with Xanthan gum. If you do not have either, you can leave it out. However, in absence of a binding agent like guar gum or Xanthan gum, the whipped cream will be a bit runny.
Rachael702
Hi. Where did you get those cute glass cups? I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thank you.
veggiecurean
Rachel, believe it or not, these are votive candle holders that I had sitting around.