ZagLeft

A trifle is such a pretty dessert.  The alternating layers of cake, creamy custard, fruit, and cream chilled to perfection make this such a decadent treat.

Trifles are a great dessert to prepare for a crowd too. They’re visually appealing and a perfect summer dessert where you can make use of all the beautiful produce in season.

I made this Raspberry Lemon-Mint Trifle a few weekends ago when my two oldest boys came back home after visiting their sister who is working in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World.

Using a recipe I found online at Epicurious.com from the June issue of Bon Appetit Magazine, I was ready to put together this Raspberry Lemon Mint Trifle. I made a few adjustments to the recipe first.  I knew I wanted to incorporate some of the lovely mint I have growing in my garden.  I love the combination of lemon and mint.  I also wanted to add lots of fresh strawberries.

To begin, I gathered all my ingredients.  A trifle is a very easy dessert to prepare.  Making the curd is the only thing that takes some time. You have to stir the curd on the stove for about ten minutes until you get a pudding consistence.  The curd and the sauce also need to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before you assemble the trifle.  You might even consider making the curd and the sauce a day or so before you actually need it.  They will stay good in the refrigerator for three days.

I layered my trifle with ladyfingers, the lemon-mint curd, strawberries and rasperries, the syrup then the whipped cream and repeated the layering until I reached the top of the dessert bowl and finally, I topped the dessert off with the remaining whipped cream.

INGREDIENTS (Recipe Adapted From Epicurious.com Bon Appetit June 2011)

SYRUP

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water

CURD

4 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

FRUIT

1 pound of fresh strawberries

2 pints fresh raspberries

3 Tablespoons sugar

WHIPPED CREAM

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 package of Ladyfingers

TO PREPARE

THE SYRUP:

Combine the sugar, lemon juice and water in a small saucepan.  While stirring, bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer one minute.  Remove from the heat.  Pour into a bowl, cover and chill.

FOR THE CURD:

Whisk the eggs, sugar and lemon juice in a heavy medium saucepan.  Add the stick of butter, lemon peel and mint.  Stir over a medium heat until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency.  This will take about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from the stove and transfer into a bowl.  Cover and chill, at least 4 hours.

FOR THE FRUIT:

Combine the strawberries and the raspberries in a bowl.  Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit and mix well.  Let stand for about 20 minutes.

FOR THE WHIPPED TOPPING:

Pour the heavy cream, the vanilla and the sugar in a large bowl and whisk using either an electric hand-held mixer or a standing mixer until the cream thickens.

TO ASSEMBLE

Place a layer of the ladyfingers on the bottom of your trifle bowl. Drizzle with the syrup, then the curd, then the berries.  Repeat layering.  Top it off with the remaining syrup and the whipped cream and chill until ready to serve.