This lemon triffle is one of my favorite desserts in the world and the one my sister likes the most.

I was tempted to include it in my book Loleta by Loleta but I decided that it made more sense to include a traditional Lemon pie instead of this version that comes from a cake that when we were little, my aunt Magdalena bought in a workshop in Torremolinos and that was delicious.

That cake was rectangular and had a cake dipped in lemon syrup covered with lemon custard, cream and meringue. I have made my own version with mascarpone cream and the traditional lemon curry and the result was this beautiful dessert that has conquered many hearts since the first time,

I hope you like it as much as we do. You can divide the amounts and use a smaller container but I make this dessert in large meetings because it is very easy to prepare and gives a lot of itself, so it is perfect for birthdays, Christmas or family or friends celebrations.

Ingredients

For lemon curd or lemon cream

• 3-4 lemons
• 3 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 300 grams of sugar
• 150 grams of butter

For the lemon cake

• 150 ml soft olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 60 ml lemon juice
• 250 g plain yogurt
• 300 g sugar
• 300 g flour
• 1 teaspoon and a half of baking powder

For the syrup

• 55g sugar
• 80ml water
• 60 ml lemon juice

For the cream

• 500 ml of fresh cream
• 200 g mascarpone
• The zest of a lemon
• 2 tablespoons sugar

For the meringue

• 80ml water
• 1/2 teaspoon tremor of tartar
• 440 g sugar
• 150 ml egg whites at room temperature

Directions

For lemon cream, wash the lemons well, dry them and grate their skin.

We squeeze them until we get about 150 ml. of juice. Put the lemon juice, grated skin, sugar and eggs in a saucepan and beat with the rods to mix. Put on the fire at medium temperature. It is important that it is at a mild temperature because otherwise the egg will set and we will have to start from scratch and discard the whole mixture. For this the mixture should not exceed 85 degrees.

Beat with the rods constantly, and after about 8-10 minutes suddenly, as if by magic the mixture will curdle quickly,

Then add the butter and mix well so that it melts. Strain and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a rectangular mold of 20 cm x 30 cm with non-stick baking paper.

To make the lemon cake, put the oil, eggs, zest and lemon juice, yogurt and sugar in a large bowl and mix. Sift the flour and beat until smooth.

Pour into the prepared mold and bake for 40-50 minutes or until it is well cooked and when pricked with a toothpick it comes out without dough. It is important that it is well cooked and very cold before unmolding.

Let it cool in the mold for about 15 minutes before unmolding it on a rack to cool completely. Cut the cake into rectangles of 5 cm x 7 cm and set aside.

To make the lemon syrup and put the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Cook 2 minutes or until it thickens a little. Remove from heat and let cool.

To make the cream, put the mascarpone and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy. Add little by little the cream without stopping beating until soft peaks are formed. Reserve.

To make the Italian meringue, put the water, cream of tartar and 220 g of sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. When it boils, lower the heat and cook for 4 minutes.

Put the egg white in the bowl of the electric mixer and beat at high speed until foaming. With the engine running, gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating a little before adding more. Gradually add the sugar syrup in the form of a thread (very gradually). Beat for 4 more minutes or until the meringue is thick, shiny and cold.

To assemble the triffle, put the pieces of the cake at the base and wet with the lemon syrup. Put the whipped cream on top and cover with the lemon cream. Top with the Italian meringue and use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the meringue until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Tips and Tricks

• We can prepare the dessert a couple of days before although I recommend making the meringue the same day to make it creamier.
• The lemon cream freezes very well just like mascarpone cream and sponge cake so you can have everything prepared in advance
• Difficulty: easy
• Preparation time: 60 minutes
• Servings: 18 –