The BEST Summer Trifle

This is what I made for 4th of July dessert. It's red white & blue and cold & fresh.

This recipe is one of the winning entries from the2006 Pamela's Products Gluten-free Recipe Contest. The picture is from the Pamela's site.

Summer TrifleBy Susan B.

2-7.25 oz boxes Pamela's Lemon Shortbread Cookies

1 pint fresh blueberries or raspberries, 1 tablespoon reserved

1 pint heavy cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup gluten-free wild blueberry syrup

Lemon Curd ingredients:1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

juice of two lemons

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1/2 stick butter
Prepare Lemon Curd by stirring lemon curd ingredients constantly in heavy saucepan over low heat, until thickened. Cool.
Crumble 1 box Pamela's Lemon Shortbread Cookies into medium-sized chunks. Place half of crumbles in bottom of glass trifle dish. Spoon half of whipped cream to bottom layer. Place half of berries upon whipped cream. Place the second (uncrumbled) box of Pamela's Lemon Shortbread Cookies on their sides encircling the trifle dish. Drizzle layers with half of wild blueberry syrup. Spoon Lemon Curd carefully upon layers. Place remaining crumbles on curd layer. Place remaining berries (excluding 1 tablespoon reserved) on crumble layer. Spoon remaining whipped cream on berry layer. Sprinkle reserved blueberries on whipped cream. Drizzle remaining wild blueberry syrup on top. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours; preferably overnight.

The changes I make to the recipe are using light cool whip instead of heavy whipping cream - it's not as natural but not nearly as fattening either.

For 4th of July, I used strawberries & blueberries so it would be red & blue.

Personally, I love the lemon curd (it tastes like the top of lemon bars) but it's too sweet for my taste. My question is - if I add less sugar, will it still set up like it's supposed to? I think it will, but I haven't tried it yet.

Either way, this dessert is so yummy & cold & fresh - perfect for a summer dessert!