Mini Lemon Pistachio Meringue Trifles Recipe

Add a little sunshine to your dessert table with mini trifles that are zesty, bright, and sophisticated enough to serve for dessert at a dinner party, while sweet and charming enough to please guests of all ages. These lemon pistachio meringue trifles are made with lemon curd, homemade pistachio cake, and a silky meringue for a crowd-pleasing combination of flavors and textures. They're also easy to prepare and you can serve them year-round. Feel free to change up the size of the serving glasses when making this dessert — you can assemble these individual trifles in shot glasses or in a large trifle bowl if preferred.

Recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse tells us, "There are three components needed for this dessert — a homemade lemon curd, pistachio cake, and Swiss meringue – but each one is quick and easy to make. It's just the kind of dessert I love in the spring and summer, although I'd also serve it to brighten up a winter menu. The creamy balance of zesty lemon curd and marshmallowy meringue is a delicious pairing, and the nutty pistachio flavor really shines through, especially with a sprinkling of chopped pistachios in the mix for additional texture."

These trifles are made with three homemade components: lemon curd, pistachio cake, and meringue. For the lemon curd, you'll need both the zest and juice of fresh lemons for the most citrusy flavor. While you could use bottled lemon juice in a pinch, the zest really does add an extra kick that takes the curd to the next level. Sugar sweetens the mixture, egg yolks and cornstarch thicken it to a spoonable consistency, and kosher salt and unsalted butter enhance the flavor and add richness, respectively. While you can use store-bought lemon curd in a pinch, there's just nothing like the homemade stuff.

For the pistachio cake, raw pistachios are ground and added in for color and pure pistachio flavor. Butter, sugar, egg, flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and whole milk are added to the mix for a quick and easy cake batter that gets baked in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and cut into rounds. If you'd like to enhance the color of the cake, a little green food coloring can help bring the vibrant pistachio color to life. 

The last component of the dessert is a Swiss meringue. To make it, egg whites and sugar are heated until the sugar dissolves, then whipped until glossy and thick, with vanilla and salt added in for additional depth.

To prepare the lemon curd, first zest two lemons.

Halve and juice all the lemons to reach 1 cup of juice.

In a small pot, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and ½ cup sugar.

Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk to combine the egg yolks, remaining ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

Pour the hot lemon mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until combined.

Return the mixture to the small pot and cook, whisking, over low to medium heat until thickened to a pudding-like consistency.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.

Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd, and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.

To prepare the pistachio cake, first preheat the oven to 350 F.

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray, and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Process ¾ cup pistachios in a small food processor until finely ground.

Chop the remaining ¼ cup pistachios and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg, and beat until combined.

Beat in the green food coloring, if desired.

Add the finely ground pistachios, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and whole milk and beat to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the cake springs back lightly to the touch; Transfer the pan to a cooling rack.

When the curd has chilled until firm, prepare the meringue. In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk to lightly combine 5 egg whites and 1 cup sugar.

Place the bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Reduce the heat to low.

Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until the sugar has dissolved and the egg-white mixture is very warm to the touch (about 160 F).

Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and whip on medium speed until the meringue is glossy and reaches medium peaks.

Add the vanilla and salt and beat the meringue to stiff peaks.

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag and cut a large hole at the tip.

Transfer the lemon curd to a piping bag and cut a small hole at the tip.

Use rocks glasses to cut out rounds of pistachio cake. The glasses will coat with cake crumbs while cutting.

Press a round of cake into the bottom of each glass.

Pipe in a layer of lemon curd.

Pipe in a layer of meringue.

Crumble the remaining cake.

Sprinkle the remaining cake evenly into the glasses.

Top evenly with chopped pistachios.

Pipe in a final layer of lemon curd and meringue.

Use a spoon to decoratively swirl the meringue in each glass.

Toast the meringue lightly with a blowtorch.

Serve immediately.

A trifle is a traditional English dessert made up of layers of various components, including cake, creams, custards, curds, and more for an eye-catching and well-balanced result. They're typically assembled in a clear glass or bowl to show off the colorful layers, and are very adaptable — they can be made to suit the season, the occasion, your tastes, or even a particular color scheme. 

Modern trifles differ significantly from the earliest version. Originally, trifles were made with a thick cream of rosewater, ginger, and sugar, cooked gently like a custard and spooned into bowls. They closely resembled a fool (a dessert made with a combination of pureed fruit with whipped cream). Modern-day versions, made with cookies soaked in wine and layered with custard, gained popularity in the mid-18th century in England. Today, trifles can vary widely in terms of makeup. They can be elaborate and sophisticated, a simple combination of fresh fruit, whipped cream, and pound cake, or even savory in nature. 

If your meringue isn't whipping up properly, the reason may be simple. Any trace of fat in your egg whites can wreak havoc on your meringue. This can be caused by traces of egg yolk that made their way into the mix, or any fat residue left on your mixing bowl or whisk (say, from your last batch of cookies). Unfortunately, if this does happen, it's best to start over. 

To ensure success with your next batch, clean your bowl and utensils with soapy water, then dry and swipe with a paper towel moistened with lemon juice or vinegar. The acid will help make sure every bit of fat is removed from your surface. Use fresh eggs, and let your egg whites come to room temperature for a quicker process. Whip at medium speed for the most stable results, and make sure to whip until your egg whites are thick and glossy before using. The bowl should feel cool to the touch by the time you're finished. 

If you'd like to make these lemon pistachio meringue trifles without nuts, you can substitute the pistachio cake with vanilla, lemon, strawberry, or other favorite cake recipes, baked and cut in the same way. You can also opt for crumbled shortbread cookies, rounds of pound cake (store-bought or homemade), or crumbled graham cracker crusts or pie crusts in the place of the cake layers. For additional flavor, color, and texture, you can also add a layer of seasonal fresh fruit into the glasses, whether cooked into a compote or freshly chopped.

If you don't have a blowtorch on hand, note that the Swiss meringue is cooked and safe to consume without torching. While the blowtorch does add a final flourish and toasted marshmallow flavor to the dessert, it's completely optional. To go without, simply pipe on your meringue as desired, then finish with a sprinkling of lemon zest, chopped pistachios, candied lemon slices, or any other garnishes you prefer.