Lemon Temptations

This recipe is from the archive of a previous blog. I hope you enjoy!

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I don’t know where or how it all began: whether it was when I decided to take part in a culinary competition, or when I received the book “Temptation with a Hint of Lemon” and that very same day a friend and I ate lemon cake, or perhaps at the moment when I was leafing through my patisserie book and came across the lemon-and-coconut cake… What matters is that it ended well. Or, more precisely: it ended deliciously and surprisingly charming. If we add to these fateful moments a cookery book from which I stole the idea for the lemon soufflés, everything falls into place as a yellow picture, dipped in white chocolate and filled with the intense aroma of citrus fruits…

The cake kept its perfect appearance right up to the last bite. The soufflés, however, deflated within the first few minutes of their lives, but in return they were so divinely delicious (and this is coming from someone who doesn’t like lemons!) that their appearance was completely overlooked by everyone who tasted them.

Lemon and Coconut Cake with White Chocolate

Ingredients

For the sponge:

• 6 eggs

• 165 g icing sugar

• 1 tbsp orange zest

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 15 ml lemon juice

• 65 g desiccated coconut

• 150 g flour

For the cream:

• 2 eggs

• 200 g icing sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Lemon juice (from the same lemon, after reserving the 15 ml for the sponge)

• 2 tbsp cornflour

• 250 ml water

• 75 g butter

For the glaze:

• 140 g butter, softened

• 140 g icing sugar

• 100 g chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

How to make the cake

1. Beat the 6 eggs over a pan of hot water.

2. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture doubles in volume.

3. Remove from the heat and add the remaining sponge ingredients.

4. Mix well and divide into 3 portions, as each sponge layer is baked separately. The tin should be 18 or 20 cm in diameter.

5. Bake for 25–30 minutes at between 160 and 180°C, depending on how temperamental your oven is :) I baked each layer for about 20 minutes. You can check if it’s done with a skewer, it should come out clean, with no crumbs or mixture stuck to it. When the sponge starts to pull away from the sides of the tin, it’s ready. Leave to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack.

To make the cream

1. Mix the cornflour with the water. Beat the eggs and add the cornflour mixture. Set aside. In a separate pan, heat the remaining ingredients until they come to the boil. Then, in a thin stream, add the mixture with the cornflour, eggs and water, stirring constantly until the desired thickness is reached.

2. For the glaze, mix all the ingredients together.

Lemon Soufflés

Ingredients

• 6 lemons

• 3 egg yolks

• 5 tbsp sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 4 egg whites, at room temperature

• A pinch of citric acid

How to make the soufflés

1. Cut the lemons lengthways and scoop out the flesh.

2. Beat the egg yolks with 4 tbsp of the sugar.

3. Add 2 tbsp lemon juice and the lemon zest.

4. Separately, whisk the egg whites with the citric acid.

5. Add the remaining 1 tbsp sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

6. Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture and fill the hollowed-out lemon skins.

7. Bake for 15–20 minutes at 190°C, until the tops are lightly golden.

A small idea for the inside of the lemons: instead of throwing it away, make yourself a face mask by adding 1–2 tsp honey and 1 tsp glycerine. Apply with a cotton pad, leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse off. Your skin will become very soft and wonderful.

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NIB & Ember