Lemon Trifle

End of week two of Manager Training at the 99 Restaurant...and off for Easter! Just the five of us for Easter dinner and of course a roasted leg of lamb with a mint sauce. And dessert??? That... I had not managed, as of Sunday morning, to make a decision. Chocolate? Berries? Ideas???!!!
Well...As it turned out I made a Lemon Trifle, with fresh strawberries.

Lemon Trifle

Serves 10


1 doubled recipe for Lemon Curd

2 cups of water
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 3 lemons
1/4 cup vodka (Had I had Lemoncello, I would have used that, but vodka works well)


3 cups heavy cream
3 Tbsp superfine sugar


2 pints fresh strawberries

30 Lady Finger cookies



Prepare the lemon curd and cool in an ice bath. Set aside.

Prepare the lemon syrup:
In a small saucepan, mix together the water and sugar. Bring to a boil and let reduce for about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and vodka. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add the superfine sugar and keep whipping until stiff peaks form.

Gradually add the whipped cream to the cold lemon curd, incorporating delicately with a rubber spatula, until well blended.

Prepare the strawberries: 
Wash and dry.
Slice about 20 strawberries lengthwise and dice about another 10 to 15.


Line the bottom of a trifle dish with the Lady Finger cookies dipped in the lemon syrup.
Cover with a layer of lemon cream (about 1/3 of the cream) and dot with half the diced berries.
Place another layer of dipped cookies.
Line the sides of the dish with the sliced strawberries, one row only. Pour another layer of lemon cream  (another 1/3 of cream) and diced strawberries.
Cover again with dipped cookies and finish with the cream and diced berries. Finish with a decorative layer of sliced strawberries.
Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

When you are finished dipping the cookies in the syrup, replace the pan on the stove, medium-low heat, and let the syrup reduce even more, until thickened and shiny.

As soon as the syrup has cooled enough, brush it on top of the strawberries slices and replace the trifle in the fridge.

Bon appetit!!