Method

• 1.
  For the curd, place juice in a medium saucepan. Add the cornflour and whisk until dissolved. Add the sugar and whisk to combine. Add the milk and cook, whisking constantly, over low heat until mixture starts to boil. Cook, whisking, for a further 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until melted and combined. Cover and chill until cold and thickened.
• 2.
  Whisk the cream in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks. Chill until ready to assemble.
• 3.
  Cut the cake widthways into 1cm-wide slices and place on a board. Cut each slice lengthways in half. Working with 3 slices at a time, stack slices, making sure the darker cake edges are all facing the same way (this gives you a prettier trifle with a better definition between cake slices, curd and cream). Spread each slice first with about 2 tsp curd and then with 1 tsp of whipped cream. Arrange slices standing up (with the dark cake edge adhered to the glass of the trifle bowl). Repeat with more slices, curd and cream to go all around the sides of the bowl (working with long thin slices is easier to manage here). Once this is done, stack slices with curd and cream and fill the centre of the trifle bowl (no need to be as careful here, as you won’t be able to see this once finished). Sprinkle cake with limoncello, if using. Next, whisk remaining curd until smooth and spreadable and pour over the cake. Chill, covered, for at least 2 hours for flavours to meld.
• 4.
  For the Swiss meringue, whisk all ingredients and a pinch of fine salt in a large heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let base of bowl touch the water). Whisk constantly until mixture is white and doubled in volume. When you rub mixture between your fingers, you shouldn’t feel any grains of sugar, and it must feel hot. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed for 3-4 minutes, until stiff peaks form.
• 5.
  Spoon meringue onto the trifle. Using a kitchen blowtorch, toast the meringue. Serve trifle decorated with lemon rind and crushed biscuits.