Blood Orange Trifles

If you've never checked out Food Network Magazine, I highly suggest you do it. Every month without fail I find myself ripping out multiple pages of recipes I want to try, and they have a great table of contents in the front that has a picture index of all the recipes included in the issue. Don't want to spend the $15? All of their recipes are listed online, you just don't get the extra little articles.

This recipe was one of the ones I ripped out of that magazine, anticipating the day when blood oranges would be in season.

Even after I found some at the store, though, I put off making this. Why? One word - custard. The stuff scares me so much. I am not a very talented whisk-er, and the constant whisking requirement just doesn't work for me (see below for my trick to get around this).

Once I saw the recipe for the chocolate blood orange cupcakes, I took it as a sign that it was time. And it was SO worth the wait. The cookies are sweet, but not overly sweet, and the custard mixture gives it a light and smooth texture.

Blood Orange Trifles

(makes 4)

6 blood oranges

2/3 cup sugar

3T orange liqueur

3 large egg yolks

1t lemon juice

1/2c heavy cream

ladyfinger cookies

Squeeze the juice from 4 blood oranges. Reserve 1T of the juice.

Combine the remaining juice with 1/3c sugar, 1T orange liqueur, and 1/4c water in a saucepan. Boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, until a syrupy consistency. Set aside to cool.

Beat the cream until stiff.

In a double boiler over medium-low, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, the remaining 1T orange juice, 1/3c sugar, and 2T liqueur.

Whisk constantly until the custard is thick, about 10 minutes.

(See the trick? Yep, I'm using the whisking attachment on my hand mixer!)

Remove the bowl from the double boiler and continue whisking until cool.

Fold the whipped cream into the custard.

Peel 2 oranges and separate the segments.

Dip ladyfinger halves into the syrup mixture, then layer in each glass (4). Top with custard and orange segments. Repeat to form another layer, until all ingredients are used.

(Can't find ladyfingers? Me either. Just use another similarly shaped/textured cookie.)

Cover and chill 2 hours.

To serve, drizzle syrup mixture on top and sprinkle with crushed ladyfingers.