Glorious lemons
Nicola Galloway offers two desserts to share with friends using flavoursome golden orbs.
Lemons, glorious lemons, an essential in the kitchen in my opinion. A squeeze at the end of a meal (not only reserved for fish) can lift many dishes and bring a balance of flavours. And let’s not forget the gloriously fragrant zest that can flavour from the inside out.
It is important to note that not all lemons are created equal. Just like other fruit, lemon varieties bring differing flavours and juiciness. I am a fan of the tarter varieties such as lisbon or yen ben for the truly sour juice and perfumed zest. In our garden we have a 20-plus-year-old lisbon lemon tree. It is a gnarly old tree, growing on a lean and propped up by a sleeper, but the main thing is that it produces, year in year out.
Compared to the sweeter meyer lemon variety, lisbon lemons aren’t quite as prolific but what they may lack in quantity they make up in flavour. They are what I think of as the ‘‘true’’ lemon flavour, juicy and mouth-puckering sour. Perfect for use in salad dressings, squeezing into a soup, or over pan-fried fish, and fantastic in lemony sweets. Here are my latest creations using these golden orbs.
These bliss balls are dairy-free, low in sugar and can even be prepared nut-free – see recipe notes. Bliss ball recipes are often sweetened with dates, or other dried fruit, which can be strong in flavour and overly sweet for my low-sugar sweet tooth. In this recipe I wanted the lemon flavour to sing so instead use honey (or any liquid sweetener can be used) adding it to taste just until there is a balance of sweet to sour.
Without the dates or dried fruit the bliss balls are softer in texture and therefore best kept in the fridge. I prefer to use a tart lemon as described above for the real tart lemon flavour to contrast the sweetness. Sweeter meyer lemons can also be used in which case reducing the sweetener may be required to get a good balance of flavour. And finally, that little pinch of salt is non-negotiable to do its wonderful job of enhancing ‘‘all’’ the flavours.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Makes about 12 bliss balls
■ 11⁄ cups (120g) desiccated coconut
2 plus extra for rolling
■ 1 cup (140g) cashews or almonds
■ 2-3 tbsp mild honey or another liquid sweetener
■ Zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 3-4 tbsp juice)
■ 1 tsp vanilla extract
■ Pinch of salt
Place the coconut and nuts into a food processor and blend for about 1 minute until finely ground. Add 2 tbsp of honey/sweetener, lemon zest and juice (remember to first zest the lemon before juicing), vanilla extract and salt. Blend again until combined.
Check the flavour adding extra sweetener if required – this will depend on the type of lemon used and personal taste.
Scatter a plate with desiccated coconut. Scoop tbsp amounts of the mixture and roll in the coconut to coat. If the mixture is extra sticky, place the food processor bowl into the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up for easier rolling (the blending of the coconut and nuts can create heat, which will soften the mixture).
Store the bliss balls in a sealed container in the fridge and consume within 5 days.
Recipe notes:
■ The mixture can also be pressed into a small tin – about 12x15cm – chilled until firm then cut into 12 squares. This will save time and skip the rolling. Sprinkle with extra desiccated coconut and store as above.
■ For a nut-free version use sunflower seeds. Noting, the bliss balls won’t be quite as rich so adjust flavours to suit.
This simple dessert is based on the old-fashioned lemon posset that contains only three ingredients – cream, sugar and lemon. It is one of those clever desserts where the reaction between the heated cream and added acid (lemon juice) magically thicken as it cools. It is an easy and delicious dessert to serve at the end of a shared meal with friends, with the bonus that it can all be prepared well in advance.
The sweet blueberry compote adds a contrast to the tart lemon, a combo I like to use in other sweet recipes such as cakes and muffins. Blueberries also have this wonderful gelatinous ability so the compote lightly thickens once cooled even with the short cooking time.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Serves 4
■ 300ml cream
■ 2-3 tbsp mild honey or sugar
■ Juice of 1 tart lemon, about 3-4 tbsp
Blueberry compote
■ 1 cup (about 120g) frozen blueberries ■ 1-2 tsp honey or sugar (if needed)
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and over a moderate heat bring to a gentle boil. Immediately turn the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Don’t go far while heating the cream as it can boil over quite quickly – talking from experience here.
Remove the pan from heat and whisk in 2 tbsp of the honey/sugar until dissolved. Stir in the lemon juice, checking taste and adjusting with extra sweetener to achieve a balanced sweet/tart flavour – this will depend on the type of lemon used.
Evenly pour into 4 ramekins or glasses. Place in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set.
Prepare the blueberry compote. Wash out the saucepan used to heat the cream but don’t dry the pan. Place the blueberries into the damp saucepan. Cover with a lid and place over a low heat. Cook gently for about 10-12 minutes just until the berries soften. Check the taste, adding sweetener if required.
Pour the compote into a bowl, cover and chill until ready to serve. At which time, spoon the compote evenly over the lemon pots and serve.
This dessert can be prepared ahead of time, covered and chilled for up to 24 hours.