Mellow yellow
Make your own lemon honey
Iloved lemon honey as a child. It was one of my favourite toast toppings when I visited my grandparents, along with Nana’s homemade tayberry jam.
I was convinced lemon honey was made from honey and lemon, so I was quite surprised to read the recipe later to find no honey in sight. It is similar to lemon curd with a more appetising name and thinner consistency.
According to my nana’s recipe notes, lemon honey is ‘‘a handy recipe to use up egg yolks left over when making meringue or pavlova’’.
This version veers from my Nana’s original that I found tucked away in her recipe collection. It’s actually using honey instead of sugar, fewer egg yolks, and a knob of butter at the end to stabilise and give a silky smooth consistency.
Along with lemons hanging like jewels in the garden, little purple blue lavender flowers have been providing bursts of colour in the late winter garden. I adore the combo of lemon and lavender in cooking so have added a few heads to the melted butter for a gentle infusion.
The lemon honey is low sugar so once prepared it needs to be kept in the fridge and consumed within one month. When I make a small batch of preserves with a short shelf life, I use a simplified jar preparation regime. Note: for preserves stored at room temperature for many months it is essential to always sterilise in an oven or by boiling the jars and lids.
How to: wash a 400ml jar or 2 x 200ml jars with hot soapy water, rinse well and sit on a wooden board. Fill the jar(s) with boiling water. Place the lids in a bowl and cover with boiling water. After one minute, drain the jars and lids and air-dry on a rack. Or use clean hot jars straight from the dishwasher.
Lemon honey infused with lavender
Meyer lemons are my choice here for their high juice content and sweeter flavour.
If you don’t have fresh lavender, dried can be used at 1⁄2 teaspoon per flower head, or use another herb such as lemon balm (2-3 leaves). Don’t go overboard with the lavender as it can overpower – the idea is to add a subtle flavour note. English lavender (with small blue flower heads) has the most pleasing taste. If using a variety with larger flower heads, use one to two heads.
Preparation time: 30 minutes Makes about 400ml
100g butter + 1 small knob, about 10g
Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
2-3 lavender heads (optional)
Juice of 2 large Meyer lemons, about 1⁄2 cup
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
2 tablespoons mild honey
Gently melt 100g butter, don’t let it bubble. Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest and lavender. Set aside to infuse for 10 minutes.
Combine the lemon juice, egg yolks, whole egg, and honey in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Strain the butter through a small sieve into the bowl – discard the lemon zest and lavender heads.
Prepare a double boiler by sitting the mixing bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Use a wooden spoon to gently mix until the sauce coats the back the spoon. Drop in the extra knob of butter and mix until melted. Remove from the heat.
Prepare the jars – see above – then pour the hot sauce into the hot jars. Secure the lids and cool completely. Store in the fridge and consume within one month.
Five-minute lemon & lavender mousse
Whisk 100ml cream or coconut cream in a bowl until soft peaks form.
Fold through 1⁄2 cup thick natural yoghurt and 2-3 tablespoons lemon honey. Pour into two bowls and serve garnished with lavender petals.