Panettone Trifle With Orange Curd and Raspberries

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.