Introduction.
Let me just introduce the following recipe by saying that I don’t normally make desserts, and we don’t normally eat desserts. But both Matt and I were working a lot this week, and I thought we deserved a bit of sweet.
And, boy was this easy!! Total prep time was approximately ten to fifteen minutes. Cook time was 30 minutes. Set time was 10 minutes. And it was delicious!!!
MEYER LEMON SPONGE CUSTARD
This is a very unique dessert. When it bakes, the ingredients separate to form a spongy lemon cake on the top and a pudding-like lemon custard below. You can invert it when you take it out of the pan if you like, so that the custard sits on top of the cake. Or you can top it with whipping cream, meringue, or a raspberry sauce.
Note: the recipe is very similar to a lemon souffle. However, the result is quite different - I believe that is because in the custard, you don’t heat the ingredients before baking. This recipe is adapted from the Joy of Cooking.
Ingredients.
2/3 cup sugar
2 T unsalted butter, melted
1/8 t salt
3 large egg yolks
3 T all-purpose flour
3-4 t fresh meyer lemon zest, grated (approximately 3 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh meyer lemon juice, strained (approximately 4 lemons)
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg whites
Steps.
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 9x2” cake pan, or six 6 oz. ramekins.
2. Combine sugar, butter and salt in a medium bowl and mash together with the back of a spoon.
3. Beat in the egg yolks with a whisk.
4. Add the flour and mix until smooth.
5. Add the lemon zest and slowly beat in the lemon juice.
6. Beat in the whole milk.
7. In a separate medium-sized bowl, beat the egg whites with a mixer on medium speed, until they’re stiff but not dry (ie, before they form peaks).
8. Slowly fold and mix in the egg whites, just until there are no large lumps of white and it is fairly uniform in color.
9. Gently ladle the batter scoop by scoop into the pan or ramekins.
10. Place a baking sheet (or other water bath) in the oven and add hot hot tap water to line the bottom of the sheet.
11. Place pan or ramekins on the baking sheet, and add more water until it almost reaches the top of the baking sheet.
12. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the tops turn a golden brown and spring back when pressed lightly (like a cake).
13. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. And let stand for 15 minutes in the water bath (it’s difficult, but it’s worth it to wait as it will form better).
14. You can serve it warm or you can chill it - they’re different but equally good. (We ate half warm and the other half chilled the next night.)
Marmalade Update.
Yes, it’s true: yesterday I actually made meyer lemon marmalade. I’m extremely proud of myself, and can’t wait to tell you about it. But I want to actually taste it after it has set to make sure it’s worth posting about! So stay tuned for more marmalade news.
More Lemon Recipes.
This is lemon season, and I know I’m not alone in being on the lookout for good lemon recipes. Here are some links to check out:
LA Times: 100 Things to do with a Meyer Lemon
Joy of Baking: Lemon Recipes 15 dessert recipes
Fabulous Foods: Crazy About Lemons She lists lemon ricotta pancakes that sound wonderful, along with 19 other recipes
Vegan Lemon Shortbread Cookies They sure sound good, and what a simple recipe!
Lemon Facial Recipe If you get really desperate for lemon uses, try exfoliating!
And there are also lemon cookbooks if you really have a lot of lemons:
Lemon Zest: More Than 175 Recipes with a Twist
Lemons: Growing, Cooking, Crafting Crafting?!
When life gives you lemons, there are lots of things to make! Do you have any favorites? Please oh please do share!
