Strawberry and Cream Trifle

• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 cups crème fraiche
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split with sharp knife and seeds scraped
• Juice from one large lemon or orange
• 4 cups mixed hulled and sliced strawberries and raspberries
• 1 baked Sponge Cake, see below (or prepared angel food cake)

Whisk ½ cup sugar with the crème fraiche, cream and vanilla bean seeds in a medium bowl until smooth.

In another bowl, whisk the remaining ¼ cup sugar with lemon or orange juice to dissolve. Gently stir in the berries. Let the berries sit 10 minutes.

To assemble the trifle, cut the cake into circles to fit into 4 wide, shallow glasses. You can use ramekins, dessert bowls or go all out and use a special trifle bowl if you have one, just cut the cake into pieces to fit.

Layer cake, berries and cream into whatever serving container you’re using, ending with berries on top. Refrigerate 30 minutes to one hour before serving. Serves 4.

For the sponge cake (adapted from Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz):

• 5 large eggs, separated
• ¼ cup cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups cake flour, sifted
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Grated zest of a lemon or orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter the bottom of a rimmed 12 x 18-inch baking sheet or a 9-inch springform pan with sides at least 2 inches high. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the egg yolks and water on high speed for 1 minute. Decrease speed to medium, add sugar and vanilla then increase speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture forms a ribbon when the whip is lifted, about 5 minutes. Scrape the batter into another bowl, and wash the bowl and beater.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the beaten yolks. Gently fold in the flour until completely incorporated.

Whip the egg whites and zest in the clean bowl on high speed until they form stiff peaks. Fold one-third of the whites into the yolk batter to lighten, then fold in the remaining whites.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until the cake is lightly browned and the center springs back when gently pressed, 15 – 18 minutes in a baking sheet or 40 – 45 minutes in a springform cake pan.

Let cake cool in the pan. Run a knife around the sides of cake to loosen and invert onto a cutting board.