When life gives you lemons……

Last week I was very lucky to be given a few bags full of lemons from both my Mum and my Mother in Law.  Our tree is also full of fruit which have just turned yellow but still need another week or so to ripen up completely. Ive been waiting for this moment for…well, ages! I love lemons and have been frustrated seeing them in the supermarket for such ridiculous prices. I use lemons alot in our kitchen, although, like avocados over the summer, I stopped buying them. Now it seems we have a glut…but Im ok with that!

Today's cooking session involved making some delicious lemon curd and then using the curd to make some simple tarts and friands. Curd is so versatile and handy to have in the fridge if wanting a quick dessert or adding it to a cake for an extra something special. Its even just lovely to have on a toasted muffin for a snack.

Lemon Curd

75g butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup caster sugar
Juice and finely grated rind of 2 lemons- I used Meyer Lemons

Melt butter in a metal bowl or saucepan over a larger saucepan filled with some barely simmering hot water. Once melted, whisk in eggs. Add the sugar and whisk until thoroughly combined. Still whisking continuously, add the lemon juice and zest. Cook over simmering water for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. Allow to cool to room temperature. Pour into a steralised jar and keep in fridge.

Recipe from Falling Cloudberries- Tessa Kiros

Lemon Curd Friands

1/2 cup plain flour

1 1/2 cups ground almonds

1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted

5 large egg whites

200g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

fine zest of 1 lemon

5 teaspoons of lemon curd

Icing sugar to dust tops of cake- optional

Natural Yoghurt or cream to serve- optional 

Pre heat the oven to 180 deg celcius. Grease and lightly dust with flour 10-12 hole friand pan really well. Set aside.

Mix the flour, ground almonds and sugar together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a fork until foamy. Add to the almond mixture along with the butter and lemon zest, stirring to combine with a wooden spoon. Spoon into the prepared pan, dividing the mixture equally amongst the holes. Top each friend with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon curd. Use a toothpick to swirl the lemon curd lightly through the batter.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a light golden brown. Remove from the oven. Let sit for a few minutes before loosening with a knife and removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Dust the tops with some icing sugar- optional. You can serve these with some extra lemon curd for spooning and whipped cream or natural yoghurt if desired.

Recipe source found here on The English Kitchen Blog

Tart Cases

70g butter, slightly softened
30g sugar
70g plain flour
25g ground almonds
pinch of salt

Cream together the butter and sugar with wooden spoon or hands. Add the flour, ground almonds and  salt and mix well, using your hands when it becomes a little stiff, until the pastry comes together. I found the mix to be a bit 'wet' but just dusted in flour then shaped into a disc. Wrap with some cling wrap and place in fridge for 30 minutes. You can also choose to freeze the pastry at this stage if you want.

Grease and lightly dust with flour a shallow tart case tin. Once rested, take pastry out of fridge and roll out on a dusted bench top to about 5mm thickness. Cut out 12 or so circles to fit your tart tin. Place pastry in tin and place a small cut out square of greaseproof paper in each case followed by some baking beads or beans before blind baking for about 8-10 mins. Cases should come out with a golden glow. You could even bake for 6 or so minutes , take out of oven, remove paper and beads then put back in oven for remaing few minutes. Allow cases to cool once out of oven. Gently remove- these cases are quite delicate so be careful. Once cool, fill with curd…..mine were quite rustic looking but I actually dont mind the look! If you want to cheat, just buy some pre made cases from your local deli or supermarket, or even use some frozen sweet shortcrust pastry. I can say though this pastry is lovely and not difficult to make so definitely worth making.

Recipe from Falling Cloudberries- Tessa Kiros

This weekend I plan on baking some the all time favourite lemon slice which disappears very quickly in our house and perhaps this lemon and blueberry tea cake.

Have a great weekend!! xx