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This lemon curd berry trifle is one of my all time favorite desserts and Cade can’t deny the goodness either.
Don’t try to hide it, you totally want to dig into these berries don’t you?! I looooooove fresh berries so I may have piled them a little high, but mmmmmm!!!!!
Remember how I said that I love trifles? Well I wasn’t kiddin’. This one is such a favorite. I still haven’t mastered keeping each level separate so I hate the side view. I’ve even made this many times and this time made sure that the lemon curd was in the middle and didn’t even get near the edges and yet it still ran out. Oh well. 🙁
Have you had lemon curd? No? Ok, well you pretty much have been wasting your whole life up until now. A little harsh? Maybe, but I seriously think you are missing out. You must try it immediately. I love that it is smooth and slightly creamy and the tang of the lemon… OH YUM!
This trifle calls for lemon pound cake, but you could totally use angel food if you want to. In fact I like it best with angle food. The berries with the lemon curd and that soft cake is absolutely to die for. You will be doing the fork bites the rest of the evening. Not aware of what a fork bite is? Ok, so you know when there are brownies or any dessert sitting out and you don’t take a piece, but instead continually return to take off a sliver of a bite with your fork? Yes, those would be fork bites. I have had many from this trifle.
What Is Trifle?
Trifle is a dessert made with fruit, a thin layer of sponge cake and custard. It may or may not contain alcohol. Trifle may include fruit or berries. It can be topped with whipped cream.
Can Trifle Be Made Ahead?
Trifle can be made up to 2 days ahead. Top with whipped cream just before serving.
Are Lemon Curd and Lemon Pudding The Same?
Lemon curd is similar to pie filling but the texture is smoother and the flavor more intense.
Pie filling, or pudding is thickened with flour or corn starch.
Lemon curd is thickened with egg yolks and the natural pectin found in lemon zest.
Lemon Curd Berry Trifle
Lemon Curd Berry Trifle
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd
- 6 Egg Yolks, large
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 4 Lemons, zested and juiced *If you don't want it as tart (it's not ridiculously tart to begin with, but it is tart) don't use as much zest.
- 1/2 Cup Butter, 1 stick unsalted, cut in chunks
For the Trifle
- 1 Pint Strawberries, fresh, stemmed and halved lengthwise
- 1 Pint Blueberries, fresh, We use raspberries
- 1 Pint Blackberries, fresh
- 2 Cups Whipped Cream, sweetened
- 1 Pound Cake, prepared lemon, sliced
- Fresh Mint Leaves, for garnish
Instructions
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.6 Egg Yolks, 1 Cup Sugar, 4 Lemons
- 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 10-15 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.1/2 Cup Butter
- Refrigerate until the custard is cold and firm.
Assemble The Trifle
- Put the berries in a mixing bowl and toss them together so they are evenly distributed.1 Pint Strawberries, 1 Pint Blueberries, 1 Pint Blackberries
- Fold the whipped cream into the chilled lemon curd to lighten it up into a mousse.2 Cups Whipped Cream
- Line a glass trifle bowl with pieces of pound cake to fit.1 Pound Cake
- 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.Fresh Mint Leaves
Recipe Notes
*I always buy more berries because I like more than just a pint of each. refrigerate left overs
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this in a hurry yesterday after an earlier failure (meringue is tricky). I love lemon, so used all the zest from five lemons — boy, was it puckery — but once it was mixed with the whipped cream, the lemon made the trifle stand out from other desserts. A note: I didn’t have time to cool the curd completely before mixing with the whipped cream and it worked fine. I used a purchased angel food cake. This dessert was the hit of the party.
Hi Sandy! I’m so glad it work out for you! And thank you for the feedback and tips!
Meeting my guys parents for Fourth of July barbeque and either this or the marionberry cobbler sounds perfect! (Or another fail proof, lasts in the heat recipe if you have suggestions?!) do you have a recipe for the lemon cake? Please and thank you. ! You’ve saved me once again 😉
We actually have just been buying our lemon cake or using this yogurt cake recipe which is so yummy https://ohsweetbasil.com/lemon-yogurt-cake/
We feel like the crisp holds up quite well in the heat and we often make a whole cake or even sheet pan of it to feed a crowd. The trifle is soooo my favorite for the 4th though. It looks as pretty as it tastes.
Made this for a family ‘do’ today. Everyone really enjoyed it, thank you for posting ?
We are so glad! That lemon curd is one of our favorites.
Made this last weekend for a family gathering, using homemade gluten-free angel food cake. Superb!
Oh I love that you used gf angel food cake! I need to try that!
Carrian, this is genius!
I already have jars of homemade lemon curd. About how much do you think the recipe requires?
Patty, it should be about 2 cups. 🙂
What did you use for the whipped cream?
Just heavy cream whipped to soft peaks then add a little powdered sugar and stir together. 🙂
it looks delicious!
THANK YOU!
I love lemon curd and fresh berries, so I know I'd love this trifle!
Gaaaaaaaaaaasp that sounds heavenly.
My English grandmother used to make homemade trifle… it was heaven.
Lemon curd is double heaven. Lemon curd with berries is triple heaven. I need to make this IMMEDIATELY!
Trifles are so good!!! And I LOVE lemon curd. Looks like a winner to me.