Apricot Gooseberry Layered Trifle Dessert With Mascarpone Cream

These lovely little individual dessert trifles are a great make-ahead treat, very quick and simple to prepare -- just layer the fruit and cream in pretty dessert glasses, and chill until serving time. Lovely for tea-time, or anytime!

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 12  spongecake ladyfingers, split lengthwise
• 2⁄3 cup  gooseberry  jam or 2⁄3 cup  apricot jam, divided
• 6  ounces  fresh sweet gooseberries, topped and tailed
• 4 -6  fresh apricots, cut in 1/2-inch chunks
• 2  tablespoons  limoncello (or lemon juice)
• 1  teaspoon  finely minced fresh lemon zest
• 2  teaspoons  finely minced fresh  lemon verbena leaves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or the seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla pod)
• 2  tablespoons granulated sugar
• 8  ounces mascarpone cheese
• 6  ounces creme fraiche (or sour cream)

Directions

1. Spread most of the gooseberry jam on the insides of the split ladyfingers and sandwich them together. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the remaining jam with the limoncello, lemon zest, finely minced lemon verbena, the vanilla, granulated sugar, mascarpone cheese and creme fraiche. Combine well.
3. In each dessert glass, arrange 2 or 3 ladyfingers upright around the edges, then place a few gooseberries and apricot chunks into the bottom of the glass.
4. Spoon the mascarpone cream into the dessert glasses, forming a slight mound.
5. Top each trifle with the remaining apricot chunks and gooseberries, pressing the fruit gently into the cream.
6. Chill until serving time (may be assembled up to 24 hours in advance, cover with cling wrap if not serving within a few hours).