Zuppa Inglese | Italian Trifle

Sponge cake (below) or savoiardi  lady fingers

• 8 eggs
• 240g caster sugar
• 2 vanilla beans, halved, seeds scraped
• 120g plain flour
• 120g potato starch

Lemon curd

2 eggs

2 egg yorks

 200gram caster sugar

1 tablespoon  lemon zest

2/3 cup lemon juice

120 gram butter

Raspberries and Strawberry syrup

250gram strawberries ,chopped 

250gram Raspberries (can use frozen here)

100 gram sugar

juice of 3 limes (80ml)

Mascapone cream

4 egg yolks

200g icing sugar

500gram mascarpone 

120 ml pure cream

Decoration 

500g raspberries and or strawberries

• For the sponge cake, preheat oven to160°C. Grease 2 x 20cm round cake pans. Line base and sides with baking paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs, gradually adding sugar until the mixture becomes pale and creamy (this takes about 8 minutes). Add vanilla and sift over the flour, starch and a pinch of salt flakes. Gently fold together to combine. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in pans.
   
• For the lemon curd, whisk eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a medium saucepan until combined. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, stirring until melted after each addition. Cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and set aside to cool completely.
  
  
• For the strawberry syrup, place strawberries, sugar, lime juice and 100ml water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and strawberries are soft. Push through a fine sieve over a heatproof jug. Set aside to cool completely
  
  
• For the mascarpone cream, whisk egg yolks and icing sugar together in a large bowl until thick. Add mascarpone and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk cream until soft peaks form, then gently fold into the mascarpone mixture.
  
  
• Cut cakes in half horizontally. Place one cake half in the base of a 20cm-round, 8-cup capacity trifle bowl, trimming to fit. Brush with 1/4 of the strawberry syrup.
  
  
• Spread 1/4 of the lemon curd over the sponge, leaving a 3cm border. Fill the border with mascarpone cream. (You can also add extra raspberries/strawberries through the layers) Repeat layering three more times with remaining cake halves, strawberry syrup, lemon curd and mascarpone cream, finishing with a layer of mascarpone cream to cover the top. Chill for at least 3 hours to allow flavours to develop.
  
  
• Just before serving top with raspberries.