A make-ahead, no-bake dessert for the holidays with a ‘wow’ factor!
I have a dessert recipe for the holidays with a ‘wow’ factor, Panettone Trifle with Orange Curd and Raspberries!
Are you familiar with panettone? It’s a sweet Italian bread made with dried fruit and candied citrus peel. You can find it at specialty food or most grocery stores in December.
I look forward indulging in panettone every year and pick up a couple of boxes for gifts and one to enjoy with coffee or tea during the holidays. The flavor and texture of panettone also makes it ideal for French toast or bread pudding. The size and price of panettone varies a good bit. I found mine at World Market for $8.99 for 1 lb 10 oz. loaf.
I made this trifle to send to my husband’s office for a party and it was a hit! I like to make a trifle for a group dessert since it serves 10 – 12, is a crowd-pleaser and easy to assemble. You can vary the ingredients, using the cake of your choice, fruit in season, and customizing it adding your layers of pudding, custard or lemon curd, and/or whipped cream.
To complement the flavors in the panettone, I used an orange curd, adjusting my easy microwave recipe for lemon curd. You can make the orange curd in advance and store in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks. I mixed the orange curd with cream cheese since we’re fans of the combination. I used Neufchatel cheese buy but use regular cream cheese if that’s what you prefer.
Panettone Trifle with Orange Curd and Raspberries, Serves 10
Ingredients
Panettone, 1 ½ lb to 2 lb loaf (I used a 1 lb 10 oz. loaf)
10 oz. jar of raspberry jam
10 oz. bag frozen raspberries, thawed
*12 oz. (1 ½ cups or use the entire 2 cups) orange curd, recipe to follow
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. whipped cream or whipped topping
2 – 3 pints fresh raspberries
Orange rind for garnish if desired
Directions
In medium pan combine raspberry jam and thawed raspberries, including liquid. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer over medium heat until raspberry filling begins to thicken and has reduced, about 20 – 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then refrigerate. Mixture will continue to thicken as is cools.
Easy Microwave Orange Curd, Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 orange, zested*
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Directions
In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in orange juice, lemon juice, zest and butter. Cook in the microwave for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. (Microwaves vary, so this could take anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes.)
Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any white egg bits and for a smooth texture. For an even smoother curd, combine the zest with the sugar in a food processor, and process until finely ground. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
Pour into sterile jar and place plastic wrap directly on warm curd (to prevent a film from forming), and chill 4 hours or until firm.
Store for up to three weeks in the refrigerator.
*When zesting any citrus, only used the colored part of the peel, not the pith (white part) underneath the peel which is bitter.
In mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese with orange curd. Beat until smooth. Curd/cream cheese mixture may be made several days in advance and stored covered in refrigerator until ready to use.
When ready to assemble trifle, remove panettone from wrapper and trim to remove hard outer crusts. Cut bread into 2 inch cubes.
Place a layer of bread in trifle or 4-quart glass bowl. Top with alternating layers of orange curd/cream cheese mixture, raspberry filling and raspberries. Repeat layers until trifle bowl is full. Top with whipped cream, fresh raspberries and garnish with orange rind strips if desired.
Panettone Trifle with Orange Curd and Raspberries
Ingredients
- Panettone 1 ½ lb to 2 lb loaf (I used a 1 lb 10 oz. loaf)
- 10 oz. jar of raspberry jam
- 10 oz. bag frozen raspberries thawed
- 12 oz. (1 ½ cups or up to 2 cups if desired) orange curd recipe to follow
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 8 oz. whipped cream or topping
- 2 – 3 pints fresh raspberries
- Orange rind for garnish if desired
Easy Microwave Orange Curd
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 orange, zested
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- In medium pan add raspberry jam and thawed raspberries, including liquid. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer over medium heat until raspberry filling begins to thicken and has reduced, about 20 – 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then refrigerate. Mixture will continue to thicken as is cools.
- In mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese with orange curd. Beat until smooth. Mixture may be made several days in advance and stored covered in refrigerator until ready to use.
- When ready to assemble, remove panettone from wrapper and trim to remove hard outer crusts. Cut bread into 2 inch cubes.
- Place a layer of bread cubes in trifle or 4 -quart glass bowl. Top with alternating layers of orange curd/cream cheese mixture, raspberry filling and raspberries. Repeat layers until trifle bowl is full. Top with whipped cream, fresh raspberries and garnish with orange rind strips if desired.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 8 hours.
Easy Microwave Orange Curd
- In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in orange juice, lemon juice, zest and butter. Cook in the microwave for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. (Microwaves vary, so this could take anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes.)
- Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any white egg bits and for a smooth texture. For an even smoother curd, combine the zest with the sugar in a food processor, and process until finely ground. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
- Pour into sterile jar and place plastic wrap directly on warm curd (to prevent a film from forming), and chill 4 hours or until firm.
- Store for up to three weeks in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Panettone is a sweet Italian bread made with dried fruit and candied citrus peel. You can find it at specialty food or grocery stores in December. The size, ingredients and prices vary. The flavor and texture of panettone also makes it ideal for French toast or bread pudding.
- When zesting any citrus, only used the colored part of the peel, not the pith (white part) underneath the peel which is bitter.
Find my favorite holiday gift basket and recipe for Panettone French Toast, HERE.
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Oh my raspberries….Mary, I’ve had panettone before but you’ve taken this Italian treat to a whole new level…YUM!
If’ I’d had this recipe last week I would have taken it to my quilt guild’s Christmas party. Can’t wait to try making it for the next event! Thank you!!!
Breathtaking photographs, BTW!!!!!!!
Sounds fabulous and oh the pictures are gorgeous…..as usual! You must have an amazing “time stretcher ” to do all this….I will ask Santa for a “time stretcher”!
Looks yummy! Love Christmas and all the great food, company and the meaning of Cristmas, celebrating Jesus birth!🙏🎄😎🌴
Yum!
Since I’m half Italian and half German, of course I lova the Panettone!! This looks delightful.. I’m sure to try when I have a crowd!! Thanks for sharing!! 😍😋
I already have 2 panettone from Costco sitting in my pantry. I was planning on making a bread pudding, but after seeing this luscious post I will be changing things up a bit! Thanks for the inspiration as usual. gorgeous!!!
Ok. You’re killing me here. My time is getting so limited as the days until Christmas wane. BUT I must make this! And I have brand new trifle bowl that will be perfect!
Question: can I put the whole thing together the day before serving or would it get too mushy?
You have got to quit posting such fun stuff….killing me here!😜😘
Hi Janey, The panettone is soft so I think you’d be happier with it if you assembled it no more than 8 hours in advance. :)
Beautiful presentation and sounds delish! Drooling here!
I truly love your blog! Your photography, presentation, and content are a treat to my day. Thank you for your amazing efforts . May you enjoy a blessed Christmas and 2016.
Gorgeous and luscious looking…I love making trifles but had never thought of using a panettone to make one…I have made French Toast in the past. Thanks for the idea!
I need one more week before Christmas to make all these wonderful holiday treats! I love Panetone, and it sounds divine in a trifle paired with orange curd and whipped cream! I bet you are very popular around hubs office with all the goodies you are always sending Mary! This is a must try, thanks~
Jenna
Looks delicious and so pretty too. Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas!
Love Panetone and this recipe….On my list for the dessert I have to bring for a Christmas party! Thanks Mary!!! Love how the no-bake desserts!
That looks amazing! I love trifles… and raspberries. It turned out so beautiful.
Adding this to the “MUST TRY” list. Looks lovely and I’m sure it’s delish! Thanks Mary!
I am new here, but do you make trifle with cake, sherry, jello & fruit, custard & whipped cream, or is that passe? Food trends are cyclical, like fashion, my version would probably considered “retro” by now.
Hi Joan, Your version sounds like a traditional English trifle!
Bingo! That’s where I had the pleasure of eating it.
So enjoy your lovely posts, all year through; you inspire to make every season and occasion a momentous celebration. I love the inclusion of fruit and refreshing citrus amidst all the rich food and dessert. I fell in love with your lemon custard, such a treat. I mentioned in a post before that I had never tried it, can you believe that? It is my favorite dessert and love how you share how many lovely ways you can use it!!! Now the amazing addition of orange and couple tablespoons of lemon sounds so delightful and to add raspberries, well that is just beyond description and a definite must do. Will touch base to let you know how it turned out. Lemon curd AND orange curd, oh my!!!
Thanks again, Mary, your gifts are my favorites. Merry Christmas to you, and your delightful family
Warm Regards, always,
Kathy g
This looks delicious– and it makes such a pretty picture! :)
Thank you for this recipe!!! It was a hit at my party and it was sooooooo gooooood!