I know Easter is about the resurrection of Jesus, but I will celebrate in a nonspiritual way by sharing our dessert with you all. Rich suggested I let someone else do the cooking because I am ill although improving, but I made dinner anyway--relatively simple and not too time consuming. The only time-consuming element was the lemon curd for the trifle. I didn't have enough energy to stir the curd long enough, so it was a little thin. Hint: when your head is all stuffy, be generous with the Grand Marnier. You won't care so much that you feel icky:
Lemon Curd Trifle with Fresh Berries
courtesy Tyler Florence
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 lemons, zested and juiced (note: I only used the zest of one lemon)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved lengthwise
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 pint fresh blackberries
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
1 prepared lemon pound cake, sliced
1/4 cup Lemoncello or Grand Marnier liqueur (optional)
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
To make the lemon curd: Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a metal or glass heat-resistant bowl and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl over the simmering water, without letting the bottom touch, and continue to whisk. Keep working-out that arm and whisk it vigorously for a good 10 minutes, until the curd has doubled in volume and is very thick and yellow. Don't let it boil. Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the butter, a couple of chunks at a time, until melted. Refrigerate until the custard is cold and firm.
To build the trifle: put the berries in a mixing bowl and toss them together so they are evenly distributed. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled lemon curd to lighten it up into a mousse. Line a glass trifle bowl with pieces of pound cake to fit. Drizzle or brush the cake with the Lemoncello, spoon a layer of the lemon curd over the cake, and then a layer of mixed berries. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used up, the last layer looks best if it's the berries. Chill before serving. Garnish with fresh mint.
Lemon Curd Trifle with Fresh Berries
courtesy Tyler Florence
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 lemons, zested and juiced (note: I only used the zest of one lemon)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved lengthwise
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 pint fresh blackberries
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
1 prepared lemon pound cake, sliced
1/4 cup Lemoncello or Grand Marnier liqueur (optional)
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
To make the lemon curd: Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a metal or glass heat-resistant bowl and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl over the simmering water, without letting the bottom touch, and continue to whisk. Keep working-out that arm and whisk it vigorously for a good 10 minutes, until the curd has doubled in volume and is very thick and yellow. Don't let it boil. Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the butter, a couple of chunks at a time, until melted. Refrigerate until the custard is cold and firm.
To build the trifle: put the berries in a mixing bowl and toss them together so they are evenly distributed. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled lemon curd to lighten it up into a mousse. Line a glass trifle bowl with pieces of pound cake to fit. Drizzle or brush the cake with the Lemoncello, spoon a layer of the lemon curd over the cake, and then a layer of mixed berries. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used up, the last layer looks best if it's the berries. Chill before serving. Garnish with fresh mint.
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