Lemon Tiramisu- Lemon Marmalade Trifle- What ever you call it, its yummy

My favourite Christmas dessert has always been trifle. After years of tweaking and improving the recipe, I created this lemony version and it might just be my go-to from now on. Zesty homemade custard, fluffy cream, limoncello syrup-soaked sponge fingers, and a touch of Lemonade marmalade make this citrus trifle a total dream.

Ingredients

Custard

• 2 eggs
• 33g cornflour
• 250ml cream
• 250ml milk
• 100g sugar
• Zest of 2 large lemons
• 40g butter

Lemon Syrup

• ½ cup limoncello- (we used our homemade Yen Ben limoncello)
• Juice of 3–4 lemons
• 2 tablespoons sugar

 Assembly

• 1 packet ladyfingers / Italian sponge fingers
• Lemon marmalade (as needed)
• 300ml cream (whipped to soft peaks)

 Method

Lemon Custard

• In a bowl, mix eggs and cornflour.
• Combine cream and milk in a saucepan; remove ¼ cup and add it to the egg mixture.
• Rub sugar and lemon zest together to release oils, then add to the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
• Remove ½ cup of hot cream mixture, add to the egg mixture, then strain it back into the saucepan.
• Stir constantly until thickened and bubbling. Cook for 30 seconds more.
• Stir in butter until smooth.
• Spread onto a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap, cover with another layer to prevent skin forming, and let cool.

Lemon Cream

• Whip the 300ml cream to soft peaks.
• Loosen cooled custard by beating it lightly.
• Fold a third of the whipped cream into the custard to lighten it, then fold the custard mixture back into the cream. Set aside.

Syrup

• Combine limoncello, lemon juice, and sugar in a small pan.
• Heat until sugar dissolves and mixture steams (to remove alcohol if desired).
• Adjust to your taste.

 Assemble the Trifle

• In a trifle dish, layer half of the custard-cream mixture at the bottom.
• Quickly dip ladyfingers into the lemon syrup and lay them over the custard.
• Add dollops of marmalade and spread gently.
• Repeat layers until the dish is full or ingredients run out.
• For the final layer, mix a little leftover syrup with marmalade and spread thinly for a glossy finish.

Helpful Tips

• Strain egg mixtures to avoid lumps—this keeps your custard silky.
• Don't over-whip the cream: it will continue thickening when folded into custard and might split.
• To make alcohol-free, heat limoncello until steaming; it removes most alcohol while keeping flavor.
• Make ahead: Trifle is best after resting for several hours or overnight.
• For softer sponge fingers, dunk them longer in the syrup.
• yummy the next day for breakfast