You need to make this beautiful, layered Meyer Lemon Blueberry Trifle! You can make it totally homemade, or mostly store-bought! It’s all in the layering! Gorgeous for a family or a springtime holiday dinner!
Layers. We all have them. Each of us is a collection of “layers”. Aren’t we? I feel like some of us know exactly who we are and what we are meant to be from the moment we were born, and others (like me!) try on different hats over our lives to figure which brings us what it is we need. (I realize this was all in my head several months ago when writing This post about Chocolate Ice Cream, Ha!) Some “hats” we keep, others we toss aside. Am I the funny one? The dramatic one? The quiet one? The cook? The smart one? The writer? The athlete? We try out different things to learn what fits us best.
When I was younger, I truly thought that people don’t change, that we are all born who we are. Period. And to some degree, I still think that is (somewhat) true. But when I look at changes I’ve made, consciously or sub-consciously, I realize we all change, in ways great and small, and the key is to recognize each of us is changing, all the time. Anyway, before I get all too philosophical here, (feel free to comment and continue the conversation!) the idea is, we all make choices in how we choose to approach everything in life, big issues to daily decisions. That’s what this Meyer Lemon Blueberry Trifle reminds me of. You can choose how to make each layer, and it is still everything you want a trifle to be – Sweet, creamy, tangy, fruity, cake-y. A little mascarpone whipped cream doesn’t hurt either. Layers have never made me so happy.
You all know I like to make just about everything from scratch. I realize, though, sometimes that’s a bit self-defeating. Like the times I want to make something super-delicious and impressive but really have no time to do it. For me, that is the perfect time to make a trifle! This trifle is made of 4 different layers. I sometimes use leftover cake for a layer, like in this Chocolate-Gingerbread Trifle.
But when I made this Easy Berry Trifle , I found packaged ladyfingers a perfect substitute – they go from perfectly crunchy to cake-like when the berries, Meyer lemon curd and whipped topping are layered over them. And you can use store-bought lemon curd, but I have to say, this curd, (for which I found the recipe on SPCookieQueen ) made with Meyer Lemons, is positively the best lemon curd I’ve ever had, and the perfect consistency for layering – it’s a little bit thinner consistency than lemon curd from a jar. Meyer lemons are nice and lemony, but don’t have that kind of “bite” regular lemons have. If you’ve never had Meyer Lemons, they are in season now, so give them a try!
There are many ways to build a trifle – but however YOUR individual layers end up, this Meyer Lemon Blueberry Trifle will always be a hit! Enjoy!
Meyer Lemon Blueberry Trifle
This Meyer Lemon Blueberry Trifle is so good, you’ll want to keep it all to yourself! But rest assured, there’s enough for everyone!
Use a trifle dish, a large, clear bowl, or a medium-sized clear Pyrex pan to show off the gorgeous layers. In the casserole dish, you may only get 1 layer. The trifle dish will give you 3!
Feel free to substitute store-bought jam along with fresh blueberries for the Fruit sauce (See Note 1). Store-bought lemon curd is ok, too – try to find Meyer Lemon Curd if you can. But the homemade lemon curd is amazing!
- Prep Time: 60
- Total Time: 60 min, plus refrigeration
- Yield: 12-16 serrvings 1x
- Category: Desserts
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd:
- 3 lg eggs
- 3 lg egg yolks
- 1 c Granulated sugar
- 3/4 c Fresh Meyer Lemon juice (about 6–7 Meyer Lemons)
- 4 T cold butter, cut into 1/2” pieces
For the Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 2 c Cold Whipping Cream
- 16 oz. Mascarpone Cheese (can subsitute Cream Cheese), room temp
- 1 c Confectioners’ sugar
- 1 t grated Lemon Zest (from the Meyer lemons, preferably)
For the Blueberry Sauce (See Note 1)
- 2 c Fresh Blueberries
- 1/4 c Sugar
- 1/2 c Fruit juice (apple or grape preferred), divided
- 1 t lemon juice
- 2 T cornstarch
- 1–7oz. Package Lady Fingers (also known as savoiardi)
Instructions
Make the Lemon Curd
- Whisk the eggs, yolks, and sugar in a medium metal or glass bowl until blended. Add the lemon juice.
- Place over a saucepan of water that is simmering to low boiling. Whisk the mixture frequently, being careful not to let it boil, for about 7-8 minutes, until it is about the thickness of a creamy salad dressing.
- Pass the lemon curd through a strainer into a medium-sized bowl. Add the butter, stirring until it is melted. Top with plastic wrap placed on the surface of the curd. Let it cool a bit, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Blueberry Sauce
- Into a small saucepan, place the blueberries (reserving a handful for garnish), sugar, 6 T of the fruit juice, and lemon juice. Heat on medium-low until boiling. Simmer 5-10 minutes.
- Mix together the remaining fruit juice and the cornstarch. Pour into the simmering fruit sauce. Stir until thickened. Remove to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
Make the Mascarpone Cream
- Using a handheld or stand mixer, whip the cream until it is almost stiff. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, place the mascarpone cheese, sift in the confectioners’ sugar, and whip until smooth. Then beat in 1/3 of the whipped cream.
- Using a large, flat spatula, fold in the rest of the whipped cream and the lemon zest until incorporated. Refrigerate until you are ready to asssemble the trifle.
Assemble the Trifle
- Into a trifle dish, layer 1/3 of the lady fingers, breaking them into smaller pieces if necessary. Add a layer of fruit sauce, followed by a layer of lemon curd, then a layer of mascarpone cream. Repeat this layering twice more until bowl is full. Garnish and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Notes
- To make fruit sauce using jam, heat an 8 oz. jar of blueberry (or raspberry or cherry) jam or jelly and pour over the fresh blueberries. Add 1 tsp lemon juice. Mix and let cool.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup
Wow! Those colors make me happy! Looks absolutely beautiful, Laura 🙂
Thanks so much, Freda!
Fun post, Laura! I agree that we all wear different hats, and I would argue that the hats change depending on the situation. And I for one have changed hats several times from working in higher education administration to college athletics to Latin teacher and now food blogger. Crazy to think of the paths we take. Anyways, love this trifle! I always start to crave lemon and blueberry flavors like nothing else at this time of the year. I feel like I can taste how good this one would be, too! 🙂
Thanks, David! I agree, the situation sometimes dictates which hat we wear. I like to hear different people’s paths – how and why they got where they are, became who they are. The most interesting people are ones who try many different things, I believe! Thanks for your visit!
This trifle looks spectacular, Laura. These layers are beautifully arranged (I know, it’s hard to predict how they would work in a trifle, but it happened in a very artistic way here). Love the combo of tart lemon curd and sweet blueberry sauce too!
Thanks, Ben! That’s one of the best things about a trifle, isn’t it? I love the colors and the layers and how they all just settle into one another! Thanks for your visit!
What could be better than blueberries and lemon together? This is such a beautiful (and delicious) dessert!
Kelsie – I feel the same way, there’s something so special about this combination, and indeed the Meyer Lemon makes it even better! Thanks for visiting!
Lemon and blueberry makes such a wonderful combination for a dessert and in a trifle, it sounds and looks amazing. Thank you for sharing this beautiful recipe Laura 🙂
Thanks, Ashika! This is a combination I come back to again and again! Thanks for visiting, and your kind words!
Real talk – your photos look AMAZING! I’m dying to try this trifle now! I’m definitely pinning this!
Question though, the recipe calls for meyer lemons. Where do you get those? None of my local stores carry them. Are they not in season yet or something? I can’t find them anywhere 🙁
Thanks, Christina! I found the lemons at Trader Joe’s – they come in a 1lb bag, of which I used practically every lemon. I have also seen them at my local Safeway. They are a kind of yellow-orange color, and about the size of a satsuma, and shaped slightly “rounder” than the average lemon. Hope this helps!
This trifle is so perfect for welcoming summer! Love blueberries and lemon together, this is such a lovely dessert with the two!
Deepika – Thanks, I love lemon and blueberry all year round, but especially when the lemons are in season! Thanks for visiting!
Thank you Laura both for the lines and the recipe, too. Starting food blog has changed me; I am discovering new layers of me, made of different shapes and colours. It is an exiting ride 🙂
I feel the exact same way! And I appreciate your kind words and your visit! Cheers!
Ha! I frequently refer to myself as a “closet extrovert” because most would define me as an introvert, but inside I’m really extroverted! Thanks for visiting, Heather!
i think about layers a lot- both personality wise and dessert wise (though usually i’m dreaming up cakes!). i unequivocally would have defined myself as an introvert a few years ago, and now i’m hovering somewhere between an introvert and an extrovert. anyways, this trifle sounds fantastic. blueberry + lemon is always a tasty combo, and i love how bright the colors are!