Lemon Posset Tart

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (May 2020) and taken from Life Kitchen by Ryan Riley.

Creating a dessert with real impact, the Life Kitchen way, requires a high ratio of tang to sweetness. Pomegranate has been added in this recipe to increase tartness, with lemons adding an intense lift. For individual possets, pour the filling into glasses or ramekins.

Serves : 6-8

Ingredients :
500ml double cream
200g golden caster sugar
2 limes, zest and juice
2 lemons, zest and juice
Small handful of raspberries
Small handful of pomegranate seeds
1 shop-bought 23cm pastry case
Pomegranate molasses or Raspberry & Rose Syrup (see recipe), to serve (optional)

Method:

Place a large saucepan on a medium heat and add the cream sugar and zest and juice of both citrus fruits.
Stir gently for about 2-3 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Then, bring the mixture to a gentle boil for 3-5 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Sprinkle most of the raspberries and pomegranate seeds evenly across the tart base and pour over the citrus cream mixture.
Put the tart in the fridge to set for 3-4 hours. When set, sprinkle over the remaining pomegranate seeds and raspberries, then drizzle over some pomegranate molasses or Raspberry & Rose Syrup, if you like.

For the Raspberry & Rose Syrup

Ingredients (Makes 200ml) :
200g raspberries
1/2 – 1 tsp rose water, to taste
2 tblsp maple syrup
1/2 lemon, zest and juice

Method :

Place a saucepan on a medium heat and add all the ingredients. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, until the raspberries break down slightly.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool. If you like your syrup smooth, strain the mixture through a sieve into a sterilised jar – but if you prefer it chunky, just store it as it is.

Everything stops for tea – Lemon Cheesecake Cupcakes

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (October 2016) and taken from
Twist: Creative Ideas to Reinvent Your Baking by Martha Collison.

To make these cupcakes, use the reverse creaming method, during which the butter is rubbed in to the dry ingredients, followed by milk and eggs. As well being simpler, this method produces a better-textured, more even sponge.

Makes : 12

For the Cupcakes :
175g plain flour
200g caster sugar
75g butter
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, at room temperature
90ml whole milk at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

For the Filling :
12 tsp Lemon Curd

For the Icing :
100g full-fat cream cheese
350g icing sugar
150ml double cream

For the Topping :
50g digestive biscuits
1 tsp butter, melted

Step One : Preheat the oven to 180oC / 160oC fan / Gas Mark 4. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with 12 cases. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, butter and baking powder using the paddle attachment. Mix on a low speed, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs; or; use your fingers to rub the butter in to the flour and sugar.

Step Two : In a small jug, use a fork to blend together the eggs, milk and vanilla bean paste. Add the lemon zest. Add the mixture to the bowl, a little at a time, beating until it is all combined. Keep beating until the mixture is uniform and smooth with no lumps.

Step Three : Divide the mixture evenly between the cases, filling each one no more than two-thirds of the way. Bake in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean and the cakes are a pale golden brown. Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then remove and leave to cool completely on a rack.

Step Four : To make the icing, put the cream cheese into a large bowl, and use an electric, hand-help whisk to beat it until smooth. Add the icing sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, until it is all incorporated. Mix in the double cream and whisk until the mixture thickens. You can whisk it by hand but it will take a few more minutes to thicken. It won’t hold it’s shape yet, so it is important to chill it in the fridge for at least an hour so that it firms up. Put the biscuits for the topping in a sealable plastic bag, seal it and then, using a rolling pin, lightly bash the bag to crush the biscuits into small pieces. Add the biscuit crumbs to the melted butter and stir until the mixture starts to clump together.

Step Five : To assemble, use a knife or special cupcake corer to make a circular incision in the centre of each cupcake. Take out the middle and fill each cavity with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon curd.

Step Six : When the icing has set, put it into a disposable piping bag. Cut the end of the bag, making a medium-sized, circular hole, then pipe a double ring around the edge of the lemon curd, and fill the gap with the remaining lemon curd.

Step Seven : Sprinkle the topping around the icing ring, avoiding the lemon curd centre. These cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.

Flavour Sensations – Basil, honey and lemon panna cotta with roasted peaches

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (June 2012).

There is an element of drama to turning out a whole panna cotta but, if you prefer, use individual pudding basins or set the panna cotta in a dish for everyone to dig into.

reparation time : 10 minutes
Total time : 25 minutes, plus setting overnight

Get ahead : Make the panna cotta a day ahead and chill

Ingredients :
550ml double cream
3 tblsp whole milk
4 tblsp clear honey, plus extra to drizzle
6 large basil leaves
3 leaves Select fine leaf gelatine
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

For the roasted peaches :
2 peaches
2 tblsp caster sugar
A few basil leaves

Step One : Pour the cream and milk into a medium-sized pan. Stir in the honey and basil. Slowly bring to simmering point then take the pan off the heat, scoop out the basil leaves and discard. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.

Step Two : Lift the gelatine out of the water, squeeze out the excess water and add to the hot cream with the lemon zest. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Pour into a 700ml mould and, when cool, put in the fridge to set overnight.

Step Three : Preheat the oven to 200oC / Fan 180oC / Gas 6. Halve, de-stone and thickly slice the peaches. Transfer the slices to a baking tray in a single layer and scatter with the caster sugar. Roast for 8-10 minutes or until slightly caramelised; leave to cool.

Step Four : Turn out the panna cotta on to a plate (the lemon zest should have sunk to the bottom and now be on the top); toss the peaches with the small basil leaves to serve alongside. Drizzle the top of the panna cotta with a little extra honey.

Lemon Verbena Possets

Recipe taken from Clodagh’s Suppers: Suppers to celebrate the seasons by Clodagh McKenna published in Psychologies Magazine (February 2019).

lemon verbena possets

Serves : 4

Ingredients :
2 lemons
125g caster sugar
6 lemon verbena leaves
425ml double cream

Step One : Grate the zest of the lemons into a saucepan, then squeeze out and add the juice, followed by the sugar and lemon verbena leaves. Place the pan over a low heat and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the cream and cook for three minutes.

Step Two : Divide the mixture between four small glasses or ramekins. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge for two hours until set. Remove the possets from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Serves: 12; Prep: 20 mins; Cook: 80 mins; Cals per serving: 452

Ingredients:
225g (8oz) butter, softened; 225g (8oz) caster sugar; finely grated rind of 2 lemons; 4 eggs, size 3, beaten; 225g (8oz) ground almonds; 200g (7oz) semolina; 150g (5oz) self raising flour; 10ml (2 tsp) baking powder; 5ml (1 tsp) almond flavouring; juice of 2 lemons; juice of 1 orange

Syrup:
1 lemon; 2 oranges; 75g (3oz) caster sugar; 2 cinnamon sticks

Lemon Curd Icing:
90ml (6 tbsp) lemon curd; 30ml (2 tbsp) icing sugar, sieved

Method:

- - Beat together butter, sugar and lemon rind until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs. Fold in almonds, semolina, flour and baking powder. Stir in almond flavouring and fruit juices to form a smooth firm consistency. Pour into a greased and lined 21cm / 8 ½ in round tin. Bake at Mark 4 / 180^oC / 350^oF for 80 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  - To make the lemon syrup, use a vegetable peeler to remove strips of orange and lemon zest and put them into a pan. Squeeze the lemon and the orange and add the juice with the caster sugar and the cinnamon sticks to the zest in the pan. Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring gently, then simmer for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and keep to one side.
  - Pierce several holes in the cake with a skewer and drizzle over the syrup, reserving the citrus peel and the cinnamon sticks. When cooked, remove the cake from the tin and put it onto a serving plate. Gently warm the lemon curd, stir in the icing sugar, and use to drizzle over the cake just before serving. Decorate with the reserved peel and the cinnamon sticks.

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Lemon Tart

A recipe by Robert Carrier

The wine growing village of Franschhoek is one of the most enchanting spots in South Africa. High on a hill overlooking their own vineyards is the Auberge de Chamonix, one of the Cape’s finest restaurants. here, three fresh young talents are spearheading a new movement of inspired minimalist cooking based on the ‘sunshine’ ingredients of the Cape. This classic lemon tart, which says lemon, lemon, lemon all the way, is a case in point. It is at its best eaten immediately – it does not keep well, but if your house is like my house you will not get the chance to find that out. Serve the tart at room temperature with cream, or creme fraiche, with slices of strawberry or plum, or verbena or cardamom-scented sorbet, or both.

Ingredients: Makes 1 27cm/10in Tart

For the Shortcrust Pastry: 1 egg, beaten; 50g/2oz caster sugar; pinch salt; 3 tbsp milk; 300g/10oz plain flour, sifted; 175g/6oz butter, slightly softened and diced

For the lemon filling: 8 eggs, beaten; 225g/8oz caster sugar; finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons; juice of 4 large lemons.

To serve: caster sugar; slices of strawberry or plum; 300ml / 1/2pt whipping cream, whipped

To prepare the pastry – In a mixing bowl, combine the beaten egg, sugar, salt and milk and mix well. Chill. In another bowl, combine the sifted flour and diced butter. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it resembles the texture of wet sands. Pour the chilled egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture and knead quickly to a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm or foil and chill for 30 mins.

To roll out the pastry – remove the pastry from the refrigerator and discard the clingfilm or foil. Roll out the pastry carefully on a lightly floured surface to a round large enough to line a deep 27cm/10 in loose-bottomed tart tin. Place the pastry in the tin, gently pressing it into the corners and prick the base with a fork. Chill for 30 mins.

To bake the pastry blind – preheat the oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas 4. remove the pastry-lined tin from the fridge. Cover with foil and fill with dried beans or rice. Cook in the preheated oven for 10 min, or until the edge of the pastry case is lightly browned. remove from the oven, discard the foil and beans or rice. Reduce the heat of the oven to 170oC/325oF/Gas 3. Return the tin to the oven and continue to bake for another 10 mins until the base is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To make the Lemon Filling – In a mixing bowl, combine the beaten eggs and sugar, and beat until light and yellow. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice, and mix well.

To finish and serve: Fill the baked pastry case with the rich lemon filling. (Note any leftover filling will make delicious little lemon flans.) Cook the tart in the oven for about 30 mins or until the filling is set. Sprinkle the top of the tart with caster sugar, then caramelise under a preheated grill (or with a blowtorch). Decorate with the strawberry or plum slices and serve at once with dollops of whipped cream.

Serve with Tomato, mozzarella and basil stack with balsamic vinegar and lime dressing and Racks of lamb with green herb crust