Lemon Meringue Trifle

All the flavour of a lemon meringue pie but in this light-as-a-cloud dessert.

1 angel food cake (cake mix or 283 g prepared store bought)

Lemon filling:
1  1/4 cups sugar
4  1/2 tbsps cornstarch
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1 cup lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
2 egg yolks

Whipped cream:
2 cups whipping cream
2/3 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Meringue:
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
food colour (optional)

Prepare and cool the angel food cake. Or buy one already baked like I did, then cut into 1" cubes. Set aside

To prepare the lemon filling combine sugar, cornstarch, water and salt in a saucepan. Stir until cornstarch is dissolved then cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to clear and has come to a boil. It should be slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and add butter.

Stir until melted, then add the lemon juice and zest.  Take a little of this warm mixture and stir it quickly into the egg yolks. Now add the yolks to the lemon mix in the saucepan and return to heat for one minute.

Allow to cool then refrigerate. (You can make this ahead of time)

With a cold bowl and whisk or beaters whip the whipping cream until starting to thicken, about 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the icing sugar beating until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and beat 1 more minute. Refrigerate (See NOTE below)

Preparing the meringues:
Have the egg whites at room temperature, then beat until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add the sugar by spoonfuls, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form.

I tried striping my bag holding the meringue with yellow food colour in an attempt to make striped meringue cookies. I was semi-successful with that.

Anyways, spoon or pipe the meringue onto a parchment lined baking sheet, a couple of inches apart.

Bake in a 225 F oven for 45 minutes, then turn the oven off, do NOT open the door and leave the meringues in the oven for another hour.

Begin the layering of the trifle:
Start with a layer of cubed cake on the bottom of your bowl, using less than half. Spread half the lemon filling over the cake. Add half the whipped cream. Repeat the layers ending with whipped cream.

Serve immediately garnished with meringue cookies. Or you can refrigerate it for several hours. Only add the meringues when serving.

Serves 10

NOTE: 
I made this dessert the day before I needed it so I divided the whipped cream ingredients in half, leaving the last layer as lemon filling and covering the bowl with plastic wrap, refrigerated overnight. Then I whipped the second half of the whipped cream etc. only a couple of hours before serving so as not to risk having the whipped cream go runny.