LEMON CURD DESSERT

slices on the dessert just before serving. I make these desserts in shot glasses.

Makes 6

4 digestive biscuits

15ml (1 tbsp) butter

70ml icing sugar

250g mascarpone cheese

5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract

125g thick cream

2 small lemons or limes

250ml (1 cup) homemade lemon curd Lemon curd:

125g butter

4 free-range eggs

200g (1 cup) caster sugar

120ml (½ cup) lemon juice

Finely grated rind of 2 lemons

5ml (1 tsp) cornflour

Coarsely crumble the digestive biscuits by hand. Melt the butter and add to the crumbs. Mix well and bake in the oven at 180°C. Watch the crumbs as they will brown quickly. Allow them to cool completely.

Place the icing sugar, mascarpone, vanilla and cream into a mixing bowl and beat until stiff. Thinly slice the lemons or limes and bake them in the oven at 130°C until they have some colour. Don’t dry them out completely. They should still be able to bend without breaking. Bend them in half and keep in an airtight container until ready to serve.

To assemble, place a heaped teaspoon of crumbs in the bottom of a shot glass, followed by two heaped teaspoonfuls of lemon curd, then top with the mascarpone cream. Cover the shot glasses with clingwrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. For the lemon curd place the butter in large bowl and microwave on full power for 2 minutes. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat. Pour in the melted butter and mix well. Microwave for 2 minutes and stir well. Microwave on high (70%) for 2 minutes, stirring halfway.

Reduce the power to medium (50%) and microwave for a further 1-2 minutes. Beat well. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Cool slightly and pour into a medium-sized jar, seal and refrigerate.