Ladyfinger Trifle Recipes

FRESH ORANGE TRIFLE WITH LADYFINGERS, RASPBERRIES AND BOOZY CREAM

Steps:

• For the orange curd: Whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, orange zest and juice, lemon juice and salt in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a pudding, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter a couple of cubes at a time. Set aside to cool.
• For the trifle: Beat the heavy cream to stiff peaks in a large bowl with an electric mixer. In another bowl, stir together the mascarpone, confectioners' sugar and liqueur. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream.
• Dollop a quarter of the cream mixture on the bottom of a 3-quart trifle dish. Cover with a layer of ladyfingers, breaking them up if necessary to cover the bottom of the dish entirely. Spread a third of the curd over the cookies. Cover with about 1/2 cup of the raspberries, spreading them evenly. Dollop and spread one-quarter of the cream mixture on top of the raspberries. Repeat the layers of cookies, curd, raspberries and cream mixture 2 more times, ending with the cream mixture (the layers will depend on the size and shape of your dish; you might have more or less layers). Chill the trifle for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• When ready to serve, decorate the top of the trifle with the orange slices and remaining raspberries.

LEMON TRIFLE

Steps:

• Place ladyfinger biscuits on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with dessert wine; let stand 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk heavy cream with confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form.
• Place 5 soaked ladyfingers in a 2-quart serving bowl. Top with 1/3 cup lemon or raspberry curd, then half the whipped cream. Top with remaining ladyfingers, 1/3 cup curd, and remaining whipped cream; top with remaining 1/3 cup curd. Refrigerate 3 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.

EASY RHUBARB TRIFLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In an ovenproof dish, combine chopped rhubarb and 1 cup sugar, and bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until rhubarb is softened and submerged in syrup. Drain rhubarb in a sieve or colander set over a saucepan to collect the syrup. Set rhubarb aside, and let cool.
• Place saucepan over medium-high heat. Add Cointreau and Campari and simmer until syrup has reduced to about 1/2 cup. Stir in brandy.
• Put mascarpone and crème fraîche in a bowl. Add orange zest and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Whisk mixture briefly to incorporate.
• Assemble the trifle: Line the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch square glass or ceramic dish with ladyfingers. Break ladyfingers to fill completely. (If using poundcake or sponge cake, cut into 1/2-inch slices.) Spoon half the syrup evenly over the ladyfingers. Top with half of the cooked rhubarb, spreading it flat to the edges of pan. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over rhubarb.
• Make another layer with half the ladyfingers and spoon remaining syrup over them. Spread remaining rhubarb on top, and top with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to a day. A half-hour before serving, remove from refrigerator. Garnish with rose petals, if desired.
• Cut trifle into squares and serve on plates, or use a large spoon to scoop portions into bowls.

LEMON LADYFINGER TRIFLE

Steps:

• Soak ladyfingers in wine. Let stand five minutes. Place 5 ladyfingers in 2 quart dish.
• Top with 1/3 Cup lemon curd then half the Cool Whip. Repeat the layer.
• Top with remaining 1/3 Cup lemon curd.
• Refrigerate 3 hours before serving.

CLASSIC TRIFLE WITH BERRIES OR CITRUS

Steps:

• Make the custard: In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
• In a medium saucepan, heat cream, milk and any of the optional flavorings over medium heat until simmering.
• Slowly whisk 1/2 cup hot cream mixture into yolk mixture until well mixed. Whisking egg mixture constantly, slowly pour in remaining cream. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium-low heat.
• Cook custard, stirring continuously especially around the bottom and edges of the pot, until the custard has thickened enough to mound on the spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Don't let it come to a boil, but a few simmering bubbles is fine. If it starts to curdle at any point, remove pot from the heat and whisk it intensely. It should smooth out.
• Once the custard is thick, scrape it into bowl, whisk in vanilla, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto its surface. Let the custard cool for at least 30 minutes. At this point, custard can be chilled for up to 3 days, or used to assemble the trifle. Pluck out cinnamon stick or cardamom pods, if using, just before assembling trifle.
• Prepare the fruit: If using berries, put them in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar to taste, and use a fork to mash them. If using oranges, supreme them: Cut the tops and bottoms off each one, squeezing the juice from the severed pieces into a bowl. Using a paring knife, cut the peel and all the white pith off the fruit. Working over the bowl to catch the juices, slice the segments away from the membrane, letting fruit fall into the bowl. It's OK if the segments fall apart; you're going to break them up anyway. When all the segments are cut out of the membranes, squeeze the membranes over the bowl to release as much of the juice as possible. Sprinkle oranges with sugar, to taste, and, using your hands, break the segments up into pieces. You want a pulpy, juicy mix in the bowl. There should be a lot of liquid. Let oranges or the berries macerate for 20 minutes.
• To assemble the trifle, spread the ladyfingers on one side with a thick layer of jam or marmalade. Put the ladyfingers, jam-side down, in the bottom of a medium (6- to 8-cup) trifle dish or any other serving bowl or dish (or use individual dishes, cups or glasses). You want to cover the bottom completely and, if you are using a bowl, go a little bit up the sides; break up the ladyfingers if needed to make them fit.
• Sprinkle sherry (or whatever liquid you are using) over the ladyfingers, making sure they are well moistened. Be generous: You don't want any dry bits.
• Spoon fruit and all their juices over ladyfingers. Top with custard. If you like a higher cake-to-custard ratio, you can break up a few more ladyfingers and scatter them on top of the custard, then drizzle with more sherry. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
• When ready to serve, using an electric mixer or a whisk, beat the cream and confectioners' sugar until fluffy; it should hold a light peak. Spoon whipped cream on top of trifle and garnish as you like. Serve immediately. (Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.)

ENGLISH TRIFLE

Steps:

• In 3-quart saucepan, mix 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk and sherry. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.
• Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks, then stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Cover; refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled.
• Split ladyfingers horizontally in half. Spread cut sides with preserves. In 2-quart serving bowl, layer one-fourth of the ladyfingers, cut sides up, half of the strawberries and half of the pudding; repeat layers. Arrange remaining ladyfingers around edge of bowl in upright position with cut sides toward center. (It may be necessary to gently ease ladyfingers down into pudding about 1 inch so they remain upright.) Cover; refrigerate.
• In chilled large deep bowl, beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar with electric mixer on low speed until mixture begins to thicken. Gradually increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over dessert. Sprinkle with almonds. Cover; refrigerate until serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

SUMMERBERRY LADYFINGER TRIFLE

Steps:

• Make vanilla or lemon pudding; set aside.
• Line bottom of bowl with one layer of ladyfingers.
• Add 1/4 of pudding on top of ladyfingers.
• Add 1/4 of berries.
• Add another layer of ladyfingers.
• Add another layer each of pudding and then berries.
• Repeat until all ingredients are gone.
• Make sure to end with whipped topping; garnish with berries if desired.