LUSCIOUS LEMONS

These citrus-flavoured desserts and treats are guaranteed to give a fresh, palate-cleansing flavour burst. Tangy and tart, we guarantee you’ll find it hard to stop at just one serving.

Citrus-flavoured desserts and treats for a fresh, palate-cleansing flavour burst.

Lemon Slab with Citrus Curd & Cream Serves 12

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup sour cream

2 tbsp lemon juice

250g butter, softened

1½ cups caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 tbsp lemon zest

4 eggs

2 cups self-raising flour

600ml thickened cream

2 tbsp icing sugar

Selection of citrus fruits (oranges, blood oranges, limes, lemons, mandarins, grapefruit), cut into slices

CITRUS CURD

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup caster sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest

½ cup citrus juice (try a blend

of different citrus fruits) 125g butter, chopped

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Grease and line 2 lamington slice tins measuring 20cm x 30cm and 2.5cm deep. Extend the paper over the long ends of the tin by 5cm; this will help you to remove the cake later.

In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream and lemon juice, then set aside.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, place butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest. Using a paddle attachment, beat on a medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently fold in half the flour, then half of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat until remainder is used.

Divide mixture evenly into the prepared tins. Spread with an offset spatula to level the batter. Bake for 25 minutes or until cake is cooked, swapping trays around after 15 minutes so cakes cook evenly. To test, insert a wooden skewer into the centre; if it comes out clean it is cooked. Allow cakes to sit in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on cooling racks.

Meanwhile, prepare the citrus curd. Place eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour into a medium saucepan and stir mixture over a low-medium heat for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to low, then gradually add the butter a few cubes at a time, stirring constantly to melt. Continue stirring over heat for 5-6 minutes or until mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain into a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill until cold.

To decorate, trim the edges of the cakes with a sharp knife. Using the stand mixer, with a whipping attachment, whip cream and icing sugar for about 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Place one cake onto a serving platter, spread with two-thirds of the citrus curd and half the cream. Top with the other cake. Spread with remaining cream and drizzle with citrus curd. Decorate with citrus slices. Slice cake to serve.

Lemon Slice

Makes 24 squares 2 cups self-raising flour 125g butter, cut into cubes ¾ cup caster sugar

1 egg, lightly whisked LEMON CURD ¾ cup lemon juice (you will need

3-4 lemons)

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 cup caster sugar

2 tsp cornflour

125g butter

To make lemon curd, place lemon juice, eggs, caster sugar, cornflour and butter into a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir with a whisk until butter melts, and mixture comes to the boil and thickens. Transfer to a bowl. Cool, then cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Grease and line a 30cm x 20cm slab pan with baking paper. Place self-raising flour into a bowl. Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in caster sugar and egg until well combined.

Press three-quarters of mixture into base of prepared pan. Spread cold lemon curd on top, then sprinkle over remaining base mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until topping is light golden and firm. Cool in pan. Cut into 24 squares. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Citrus Delicious

Serves 4 60g butter, softened ½ cup caster sugar Zest of 1 lemon Zest of 1 orange 3 eggs, separated ⅓ cup lemon juice ¼ cup orange juice ⅓ cup self-raising

flour

1 cup milk

Icing sugar, for

sprinkling

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan forced). Lightly grease a 4½ cup oval ovenproof dish. Using an electric hand mixer, beat butter, sugar, lemon zest and orange zest until creamy and pale. Add egg yolks and beat until well combined.

Wash beaters, then beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form (do not over-beat or egg whites will become dry).

Add lemon and orange juices and half of the flour to butter mixture. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold together. Add remaining flour and the milk. Fold through butter mixture (the mixture will look curdled but all ingredients will combine when baked). Add egg whites to pudding mixture and gently fold through until well combined.

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Put baking dish in a large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until light golden on top and pudding bounces back when lightly touched. Stand for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle pudding with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Lemon & Polenta Bundt Cake

Serves 8-10 450g unsalted butter 450g caster sugar 6 eggs

450g almond meal 225g fine polenta Zest of 4 lemons Juice of 1 lemon 400g ricotta

4 cups icing sugar 2 tbsp passionfruit pulp

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan forced). Place butter and caster sugar in bowl of electric mixer and beat for 8-10 minutes, or until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in almond meal, then add polenta, lemon zest and juice, and ricotta; stir until just combined.

Spoon into a well-greased 10-cup bundt tin and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in cake comes out clean.

Let cool in tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely. Place icing sugar in a large bowl, add 2 tbsp boiling water and passionfruit pulp, then stir until combined. Spoon over cake and serve.

Lemon Meringue Pie Serves 6–8

2½ cups desiccated coconut ½ cup caster sugar

½ cup plain flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

FILLING & TOPPING

1½ cans sweetened condensed milk 4 eggs

Zest of 3 lemons

⅔ cup lemon juice

1 cup caster sugar

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Lightly grease a 22cm round, loose-bottomed fluted flan tin (or a 7-cup-capacity pie dish) and line the base with baking paper.

Put coconut, sugar and flour in a bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Add eggs and stir to combine.

Put mixture into the base of prepared tin and, using your fingers, press evenly over base and up the sides. Put tin on an oven tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Stand on a wire rack to cool.

To make filling, pour condensed milk into a bowl. Separate the eggs, reserving the whites for topping. Add yolks and lemon zest and juice to condensed milk. Whisk until combined. Pour mixture into pie base and spread evenly.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Slowly add sugar, beating well after each addition until meringue is thick and glossy. Spoon evenly over pie filling.

Bake for 10–12 minutes or until light golden brown. Allow pie to cool for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Serve warm or cold.

PERFECT PUDDING Page 95 Flavoured with both lemons and oranges, Citrus Delicious is a true crowd-pleaser.

SMART TIP The citrus curd can be made in advance. Store in an airtight container and chill in the fridge for up to one week. Or, if preferred, buy a good-quality ready-made lemon curd.

SMART TIP Lemons are much easier to juice when warmer, so make sure they are at room temperature. Rolling them back and forth under the palm of your hand on a flat surface will also help.