Lemon-Blueberry Trifle Recipe

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 pints fresh blueberries, picked over for stems
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 2 1/2 cups lemon curd
• One 10- to 12-ounce store-bought pound cake or homemade from your favorite recipe

1. Bring the water, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the sugar to a boil an a small heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Let cool.
2. In a food processor, process 2 pints of the blueberries and 1/4 cup of the remaining sugar until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining 2 pints of berries.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, whip 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in the lemon curd so you don’t deflate the cream.
4. Cut the pound cake into 12 slices, arrange on a baking sheet, and brush each lightly with the sugar syrup. Cut each slice into 6 cubes. Tightly arrange one-third of the cubes in the bottom of a trifle bowl or large soufflé dish. Spread one-third of the lemon curd mixture on top of the cake cubes, smoothing with a rubber spatula. Spoon one-third of the blueberry mixture over the lemon curd. Repeat twice, so that you have three layers each of cake, lemon curd, and blueberries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
5. When ready to serve, in a small bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until it just holds stiff peaks. Spread over the top of the trifle or use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe it decoratively. Serve immediately.

Excerpted from Icebox Desserts, by Lauren Chattman. © 2005, used by permission from The Harvard Common Press.

Beverage pairing: Ramos Pinto Porto White, Portugal. It may come from the land of deep, inky, red port wines, but white port is a different creature: bright, clean, and crisp with citrus and flowers. It’s often served before a meal with tonic as an apéritif, but it makes a lively dessert wine too, served chilled or on the rocks with a generous orange twist. Its flavors will animate the blueberries and lemon juice without getting in the way.