Zesty Cookbook

when life hands you lemons, make lemon desserts !

Intro | Narrative | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

Zesty

When life hands you lemons

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Zesty

When life hands you lemons

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when life hands you lemons, make lemon desserts !

Intro | Narrative | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

Zesty

When life hands you lemons

ZE S TY 5 5

Text copyright Š 2015 by Carla Synder Photography copyright Š 2015 by Nicole Franzen All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data available.

ISBN 978-1-4521-3479-6 Manufactured in San Francisco Chronicle Books LLC 680 Second Street San Francisco, California 94107 www.chroniclebooks.com

Dedicated to my family who stuck through the sour and the sweet.

Found a lemon lying around in your pantry and not sure what to do with it? This book will help you unleash your creative side, and whip up some beautiful and decadent zesty desserts.

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Pastries, pies and tarts

When life hands you lemons

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Contents

Cakes and cookies

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Frozen Desserts

78

Souffles

55

Puddings and custards

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life hands lemons when

you

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Vitamin C Lemons are considered as a rich source of vitamin C, which not only makes you desserts flavorful, but rich in vitamins and healthy as well.

50+ There are over 50 varieties of lime that one can choose from when making a dessert. Each lemon poses a different flavor personality.

Sharp Zing

There are over 50 varieties of lime that once can choose from when making a dessert.

I was first seduced by a lemon at the tender age of six. A lemon stick, to be exact. A common signature item of the annual Flower Mart in Baltimore, and lemon sticks­—a peppermint stick unceremoniously that is jammed into a lemon—are a staple of the city’s springtime fairs and festivals. I drew the juice of lemon up through the porous peppermint candy, and smitten with the fruit’s bitterness and the way it made my entire mouth pucker. I knew that I was in lemon love.

Lush-leaved lemon trees are as common as the backyard swimming pools in California, where we moved when I was nine. Through the year, the air is alway perfumed with their scent, especially that of the thin-skinned, marigold-yellow, Meyer lemon. There are also rough skinned, the egg-shaped Eureka and Lisbon lemons too, in different shades of pale yellow and green. Their sunny appearance belies what’s inside—a fruit that seems like it is nearly impossible to eat.

A lemon’s unapologetic acidity—is that it is sharp enough to create a honeycomb tunnel from one extreme end of my peppermint stick to the other—imparts an intense freshness vital to coaxing flavor from your cooking as salt. A squirt of lemon juice brightens the savory dishes and gives an unmistakable edge to desserts. Lemon zest adds a special punch of lemony flavor to everything from heavy goat cheese gnocchi, and creamy risotto, to cornmeal waffles, and beloved lemon bars.

Whole lemons when preserved, pickled, pureed, salted—become delicious condiments, their sourness subdued by the similar bold flavors of the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Strips of lemon peel garnish cocktails and infuse the contents of the simmering pots with potent lemon essence. Even though I am committed to cooking primarily with ingredients that grow close by and are in season, I’ll make an exception for the lemons without any kind of immediate hesitation.

Lemons are mostly always available, but you may have noticed that citrus is best in the winter months, when it’s presence in a rich dish is most dramatically transformative and balancing. The strong, clear flavor of lemons cuts through the heaviness of the fatty foods we indulge in during the holidays.

zesty life

You’ll find something here for everyone who has a taste for citrus, presented in six chapters, each devoted to a different type of pastry or meal occasion—from lemon cake with lemon mascarpone frosting to orange sherbet, and from both lemony blueberry muffins with lemon struesel to summer tart with lemon and also heavenly lemon meringue tart.

You’ll also find within the initial chapter all the little extras that make lemon desserts sing, such as lemon and orange curds, as well as lemon marmalade, citrus peel dipped in chocolate. You’ll also completely love how these tangy, lemony accompaniments entirely ramp up your desserts, add a hint of flavor to plain confections. For an easy example, a single dollop of lemon curd alongside good old strawberry shortcake elevates that dessert to another level, and on a much higher creative

Zesty

one. Or a slice or two of candied lemon peel is just the exact thing to go along with an after dinner espresso. While these may seem like luxuries, but actually they are super easy staples that make life taste sunny.

When it comes to desserts, the punch of lemon is hard to beat. All that it takes to get your groove on is a bag of gorgeous citrus fruit from your local market and a few moments to thumb through ‘A zest for life’ , where you’ll be sure to find the correct perfect lemon sweet of snack for any occasion, or time frame. So pucker up! Every day is a going to be a good day when it includes a citrus delight. So it's now time to pucker up! I am only here to tell you that lemons will undoubtedly brighten your life and make every day more warm and pleasant. They seem sour and pungent on the outside, but they are truly special treats that will make every day seem like a great day!

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Do something different.

When life gives you lemons, get creative, make dessert!

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the

right

lemon

The lemons you find at the farmers’ market have been plucked very ripe from the trees the day before their journey. Tree-ripened in lush, perfumed groves under the hot sun, the sound of bees buzzing in the air, the fruits arrive plump and also firm, along with skinny skins and juicy interiors. Here in urban California, lemon trees that are both cultivated and rogue are everywhere, spilling over neighborhood rickety fences and lining sidewalks in commercial stretches. You can literally walk around your block and pick all the lemons you want.

For those in cooler climates, you can find lemons at any supermarket and corner stores.

Lemons are a common kitchen staple.

Keep a handful around all the time and you’ll quickly see how often you use them in both sweet and savory recipes. And if you are also feeling a little under the weather, a little bit of hot toddy with whiskey, honey, water, and of course lemon juice—is guaranteed to make you feel better. Plus, you can use lemon juice to clean your silverware and silver jewelry, brass and copper, and to remove stains from clothing, and once you have zested, peeled and juiced your lemon and you are down to the bare bones, just throw it down your typical waste disposal.

EUREKA LEMONS The common no frills Eureka lemons is the most commonly available lemon, and is used in every kitchen and sold in every grocery store year around. It has a pleasantly tart flavor and a thick skin which makes it excellent for preserving. Freshly cut Eureka wedges are ideal for squeezing over grilled fish, the juice and the zest make both the Lemon Gateau as well as the heavenly lemon squares with coconut sing.

MEYER LEMONS The Meyer lemon, a cross between a lemon and an orange or a mandarin has thick skin, a unique floral scent, and sweet, fragrant taste.

Less acidic than the Eureka or the Lisbon, the Meyer is great in drinks, sorbets,ice-creams, and syrups. The round Persian lemon, which is also know as Persian sweet lemon, looks like a Meyer, has greenish flesh, and is as sweet as an orange. It's found mostly in gardens and small orchards in Southern California and also unlike other lemons is delicious eaten out of hand.

PINK LEMONADE LEMONS The Pink lemonade lemon, that which is also known as variegated pink fleshed Eureka lemon, has green, cream, striped skin when young and lovely pink flesh, which makes it a particularly pretty dark garnish. It loses its stripes and the color of its flesh intensifies. It is fun to swap these for regular Eureka lemons, as you will get the same taste with a bolder color.

PONDEROSA LEMONS The ponderosa lemon, which is likely a cross between a lemon and a citron, can weigh up to four pounds and typically has lots of seeds. It hardy skin makes the fruit ideal for marmalade.

It’s usually available only at farmers’ markets, most often from a real citrus grower who likes to experiment with the entire citrus spectrum.

This book incorporates some imaginative recipes for using lemons from a thirst quenching Rosemary Lemonade, and the light,easy lemon curd to lemon-scented blueberry cake.

Indeed you may find yourself cooking with this versatile citrus so much that you’ll end up planting a lemon tree or two in your yard.

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Choosing a fresh,and juicy lemon isn’t about finding one with the most vibrantly colored skin. Look for a fruit with all over natural sheen showing that the lemon has retained it’s essential oil.

Choosing a fresh, juicy lemon isn’t about finding the one with the most extraordinarily vibrant and brightly colored skin. Instead, look for fruit with all over natural sheen which indicates that the lemon has retained its essential oil. The skin of the lemon should be free of soft spots and excessive texture or pitting, the fruit should be plump and feel heavy.

Though you might guess that the weight is in the juice, it’s actually in the sugar. Ripeness in citrus fruit is measured by sweetness, by using the Brixor acid ratio, better known for measuring the sugar in wine grapes.

Lemons' skin is fairly porous, so they absorb whatever they have been sprayed with.

For that reason alone, it’s worth seeking out organic lemons. They tend to be thinner skinned and juicier than larger conventional lemons, which are often dyed for even color and coated with wax. In my experience, grocery stores often carry two-pound bags containing eight organic lemons that rarely end up being far more expensive than those for sale by the each.

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It’s lovely to be able to walk away from the mixer and continue to prep ingredients while the mixture is beating up light and fluffy.

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SPATULA

BAKING SHEETS

Heat-proof spatulas in various sizes are indispensable, and are by far the best tool for stirring lemon curd while it thickens. Flat surface slides all across the bottom of the pan, ensuring even cooking and that there are fewer lumps. A normal round wooden spoon works fine, but if you do find one with a flat edge, buy it. You’ll love how it stirs things up.

Heavy-duty baking sheets will change your world. They won’t torque in the oven once they heat up, which is a fine thing. Buy two for sure, but if you have storage space, four would be the usual ideal number.

OVEN THERMOMETER An instant-read thermometer is a great tool for baking as well as for cooking. Use it to check for when breads and rolls are done. Insert the thermometer right into the center of a loaf or bun; when it reads 200° F (95 °C), the bread is ready. If your oven is off by more than 25° F, you aren’t getting the best performance from it.

PASTRY BRUSHES A few natural-bristle pastry brushes will come in handy. I’m not a huge fan of silicone brushes, but that might just be my preference. It’s nice to have a wide brush and a narrower one that is just for brushing egg glazes on a pastry.

Brushes are great for greasing cake pans. They do a much more thorough job than a piece of butter on paper which is then rubbed into the bottom and sides of a pan. Brush usually deposits that nonstick grease in the corners.

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tools ingredients

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BAKE WARE I love my stash of vintage bake ware, but sometimes I need a good spring form pan or a fluted tart pan with removable rim. The newer cake pans are deeper than the pans of yesteryear, making batter spillover a thing of the past.

Their heavier gauge insulates and allows baked goods to cook more evenly, without hot spots on the sides or undercooked centers. If you love to bake, invest in a stand mixer. You will never be sorry. It’s lovely to be able to walk away from the mixer and continue to prep ingredients while the butter and sugar are beating up light and fluffy or your bread dough is kneading.

In addition, a stand mixer is more powerful than a hand held one and will save you time, since it beats up both the egg whites and sugar-butter combinations efficiently and quickly.

WHISKS Whisks in a few sizes are helpful, but if you have space for one, make it an extremely big one, since the wider basket works most effectively to incorporate dry ingredients before mixing, and swishes through eggs and other liquids to blend and emulsify them.

REAMER A wooden reamer is also useful. Lots of tools that will help you squeeze the juice from citrus efficiently, but this gadget may be the best. Or, in a pinch, try a low-tech fork—stick the tines in the cut lemon and squeeze while subtly twisting the prongs of the fork.

STRAINERS

SUGAR Use cane sugar. While working in the bakery, I recently discovered that cane sugar performs best. Some granulated sugar is derived from beets and will respond a little differently than how cane sugar does in baking.

SALT I like kosher salt and use it when baking.

Diamond crystal is personally my favorite brand, but Morton will do. Regular iodized table salt has so many additives that it leaves a metallic taste in your mouth, and in your food.

Fine and medium mesh strainers are handy when you are individually separating the seeds and pulp from citrus juice. Fine and medium mesh strainers are handy when separating the seeds and pulp from citrus juice.

ZESTER A microplane zester may be the best tool you ever buy. It effortlessly takes just the peel from a citrus fruit, and not the bitter white pith that lies underneath. I promise that you will never be sorry to give it space in your gadget drawer.

EGGS Use large eggs. Other sizes will throw off the ratios of other ingredients and you won’t get the best results. To break eggs cleanly, rap them gently on the counter and separate the two sides of the shell. Breaking them on the edge of a bowl can immediately drive the shell into the egg and often breaks the yolk.

When separating eggs, try to break the shell in half as cleanly as possible, and use the shell to pass the yolk back and forth, allowing the whites to fall into a clean bowl. Separate eggs one at a time. If you break a yolk in the small bowl, you can just toss it out; any fat in the yolks will immediately prevent the whites from whipping up. By keeping the whites yolk-free, you have a better chance of achieving a fluffy meringue. Eggs separate more easily when cold, but for the best meringues, so try to allow time for the whites to warm up to room temperature before whipping.

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Zesty

When life hands you lemons

Lemons are extremely underrated, versatile ingredients that are often overlooked in the kitchen pantry. They add the right amount of tang to satisfy all your citrus cravings.

pastries, pies and tarts

Intro | Narrative | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

Zesty

When life hands you lemons

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Explore the world of Pastries, Pies, and Tarts

Zesty Warm lemon cream filled tarts

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A tart is typically a sweet or savory dish with shallow sides and only a bottom crust. Tart crusts are usually made from pastry dough: traditionally flour, unsalted butter, cold water, and sometimes sugar. The end goal is a firm, crumbly crust. Usually tarts are baked in a pan that has a removable bottom, or in pastry ring on top of a baking sheet so that it can be un-molded before serving. These tarts sometimes serve as more popular than lemon pies that we know of in general.

I start off this chapter by differentiating between what constitutes a pie, and also what constitutes a tart. Confusing these two is very common, and also people often get the two mixed up. A pie is a sweet or savory dish with a crust and a filling. The sides of a pie dish or pan are sloped. It can have a just a bottom, just a top, or both a bottom and a top crust. The pie crust is traditionally made of flour, salt, cold water, and lard (or shortening) but many pie crust recipes use a combination of fats such as butter, lard, or vegetable shortening, or just butter. The goal is a crisp, flaky crust.

Pies are served straight from the dish that they were originally baked in.

This chapter focuses mainly on pastries, tarts and pies. The star recipes of this chapter are mainly the lemon cream pie, raspberry pannacotta, as well as the lemon meringue tart.

These recipes are all based off traditional lemon recipes that have a special, creative twist.

People who also love adding an extra zing to their lives will love this chapter in the book.

lemon cream pie

Yields 1 pie ( 12 slices )

The best lemon cream pie you will ever taste! Original 1960’s recipe made from scratch with fresh lemon juice, cream cheese and real whipped cream.

Instructions

Ingredients For the Crust ¼ cup sugar 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs Pinch of salt 6 tablespoons butter, melted For the pie 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk ⅓ cup lemon juice 1 tbsp lemon zest Whipped cream, for serving

01 For the crust: preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, stir the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt together. Add the butter and stir to mix. Pour the crumbs into a 9-inch pie dish, and press the crumbs firmly and then evenly into the bottom of the dish and up the sides.

I think it is easiest to use a cup to press the crumbs firmly into the dish. Now bake the crust in the oven for 7 minutes, then remove and then let it cool completely.

02 For the pie: place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon zest and continue to beat until as smooth as possible. This may take a few minutes. Then if desired, mix in a few drops of yellow food coloring. Pour the filling into the pie crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of at least 2 hours.

03 Finally, serve the pie topped with whipped for a hint of added flavor as well as fluffiness.

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raspberry

lemon panacotta

Instructions

Serves 4–6

This panna cotta has the perfect amount of gelatin to result in a smooth consistency. It is firm enough to turn out on a plate and stand all on its own, and closer to the consistency of a soft cheese.

01 Heat all of the milk in a small sauce pot or in a small bowl in the microwave until steaming, but not boiling. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top, cover, and let it sit until the gelatin blooms. To speed the process up, you can put the bowl or the pot in a hot water bath or over low heat to dissolve the gelatin faster.

Ingredients

Lemon Panna Cotta 2 ½ cups heavy cream 1 ½ cups whole milk 5 tbsp sugar 4 tbsp powdered gelatin 6 tbsp lemon zest, chopped ¼ tsp lemon oil 1 tbsp grand marnier 1 whole vanilla bean, scraped Raspberry Anise Gelée 12 oz raspberries 1 tsp lemon juice ½ cup sugar 2 star anise 6 tbsp water Whipped Cream ½ cup sugar 1 tbsp powdered sugar 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

02 Heat the cream, sugar, vanilla bean, lemon zest, and lemon oil in a sauce pot over medium heat until lightly simmering. Turn off the heat, cover, and let set for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, strain the lemon bean and zest out because the texture of the lemon zest is a bit distracting when you eat it.

03 Put the empty glasses in the fridge first, and then pour the panna cotta into the glasses or containers you want to use. Cover the tops of the glasses with plastic wrap without touching the panna cotta. If the mixture is still steaming, wait until it stops first. Then chill until set.

04 Combine raspberries, star anise, lemon juice, and sugar in a sauce pot on medium/low heat. Use a spatula or spoon to crush the whole raspberries, then simmer for 10 minutes. While the raspberries are cooking, heat the 6 T of water in a small dish in the microwave until steaming, but not boiling. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and stir until it dissolves. After the raspberries are done cooking, remove from the heat and take out the star anise. Set aside to cool slightly.

05 Mix the gelatin and water with the raspberry sauce and let settle.

Let the mixture cool down until it stops steaming. Letting it cool is important because hot gelée will melt the top of the panna cotta, mixing the two layers. However, you don’t want it to cool too much or it will be too thick to pour. Using a spoon or ladle, carefully pour a thin layer on top of the panna cotta. Cover the tops of the glass with plastic wrap, then chill until it sets, about 1 hour. Once the top has set, add whipped cream and top with a garnish with fresh berries or you can also add a caramel tuile.

lemon meringue

tart

Ingredients For the Pastry 175g plain flour 100g cold butter, cut in pieces 1 tbsp icing sugar 1 egg yolk For the filling 2 level tbsp cornflour 100g golden caster sugar 2 lemon finely grated zest 125ml fresh lemon juice 1 small orange juice 85g butter, cut in pieces 3 egg yolk, and 1 whole egg For the meringue 4 egg white 200g golden caster sugar 2 level tsp cornflour

Yields 1 pie ( 10 slices )

This pie is bursting with fresh lemon taste and a sweet, creamy real meringue topping. This ultimate classic dessert with a creative twist is exactly what you need to brighten your day!

Instructions 01 First preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

02 To make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in ½ cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk the egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.

03 To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add the sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is starting to become golden brown.

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Zesty

When life hands you lemons

Lemons are always overlooked for being too sharp or even acidic.

Contrary to this, lemons can often be used in beautiful, decadent desserts with a rich flavor.

CAKES AND COOKIES

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When life hands you lemons

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Revitalize your taste buds with cakes and cookies chp 2 intro

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Divine lemon curd center filled cookies

Lemon cakes as well as cookies are another popular dessert treat amongst the young and the old, the traditional and creative! There are a multitude of recipes that can be created from scratch when talking about cookies and cakes, and so much so that an entire book can be dedicated to it. Lemon is highly underrated and people also often forget that lemon can be added to almost simply everything, to make it extra zesty, tangy, and flavorful.

Lemon Cake also happens to be one of my favorite year-round desserts, but it is also perfect choice for spring and summer, when everyone tends to crave citrus or light as well as flavorful recipes. While the lemon cake layers are the stars of the show, the homemade lemon curd and lemon cream cheese frosting are each so delicious that you will be tempted to forget the cake & just grab a spoon!

One of the most popular cake recipes in this section of the book also happens to be the lemon blueberry cake which infuses not only the sharp taste of lemons, but the subtle fruity addition of blueberries, and how they combine beautifully with lemons.

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Lemon cookies are a whole other ball game as compared to lemon cakes. The lemon cookies have the perfect texture and citrus flavor. They remind me of those thick bakery soft cookies. But the heavenly lemon squares in this chapter are infused with a lemon flavor and topped with a lemon juice and zest glaze that brings out the citrus even more. They are soft, chewy, packed with bold lemon flavor.

These cookies are aptly named because they really do taste like a little bit of heaven.

Serves 4–6

Sunshine-sweet lemon layer cake dotted with juicy blueberries and also topped with lush cream cheese frosting. Now take a bite and taste the bursts of bright flavors!

blueberry

cake

Instructions

Ingredients For the Cake 2 cups cake flour 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2 tsps baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 cups sugar Zest of 2 lemons 5 large eggs 2 tsps vanilla extract 1 ¼ cup buttermilk 2 ¼ cup blueberries 1 jar lemon curd For the butter cream 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter 5 cups powdered sugar ¼ tsp salt 2 tsps vanilla extract zest of half lemon ⅓ cup heavy cream 2–3 tablespoons blueberry jam

01 Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans at least 3 inches high.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

02 Beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well between each addition of the egg. Alternate between adding the flour (in three additional) and the buttermilk (in two additions). Begin and end with the flour.

03 Gently toss the blueberries with some flour, then fold into the cake batter. Evenly divide the batter among the cake pans and bake until an inserted toothpicks comes out clean—roughly 45–50 minutes.

04 Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Trim the top of the cake so it is level. Cut the cakes in half so you have four round layers.

05 For the butter cream, beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well until combined.

Add in the salt, extract,and zest then mix well. Add in the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until the butter cream is smooth. Remove a portion of the frosting and place in a piping bag. Remove a third of the remaining butter cream and mix in the blueberry jam.

06 Pipe a ring around the outer tops of three of the layers. Fill with lemon curd. Place the layers on top of one another, putting the naked layer on the top. Place the regular frosting on the top half of the cake, and the blueberry butter cream around the bottom half of the cake. The white and blue frosting will intermingle in the middle to create the ombré effect.

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lemon

italian

lemon meringue cake Instructions 01 Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Once this is done grease and line three 20cm round cake tins. Cream the butter and 1 Cup of the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon curd and continue mixing. Then, add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix well.

Ingredients For the Lemon Cake ¾ cup soft butter 2 cups sugar 2 cups flour 4 tbsp lemon juice ½ cup lemon curd zest of two lemons 2 tsp baking powder 1 cup greek yogurt 2 tsp vanilla For the Filling 1 cup lemon curd For the Italian Meringue Buttercream 220g egg whites 2 ¼ cups sugar 120ml water 2 ¼ cups cold butter 2 tsp vanilla cup lemon curd ½

02 Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whip the egg whites as well as remaining sugar until stiff peaks, and fold this egg white into batter.

Divide the batter between 3 pans and bake for 25min or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, then remove from cake tins and transfer to wire rack to cool further.

03 Combine the water and 2 cups of sugar in a saucepan and place over high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to simmer for about 15 min, until it reaches the soft ball stage. Meanwhile, whip the egg whites and ¼ cup of sugar until in reaches the soft peak stage. When the sugar has reached the soft ball stage, gently pour it into the mixer with the whipped egg whites while the mixer is on high speed. Then add the butter in cube by cube while the mixer is on medium speed. Continue until all the butter is mixed, then add the vanilla and lemon curd and mix until just incorporated.

04

Place one layer of cake on a plate, then add half the lemon curd filling into the center of the cake and spread it out a little. Place the second layer of cake on top of the filling and repeat the process.

Place the last layer of cake on top then spread a thin layer of the frosting around the cake, just so that the crumbs are all secured.

Place the cake in the fridge for 10-15min. When the crumb coat is cooled and set, spread the remaining frosting around the cake.

This triple layer lemon meringue cake is a true celebration of lemon and summer. The bright citrus taste turns this simple cake into one that will remain in your heart forever. Best enjoyed in the warm afternoon, when the sun is bright.

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Serves 6–8

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lemon squares Yields 30 lemon squares

Similar to traditional lemon bars, with an extra tropical flair.

Starting with a shortbread crust, it features a smooth mango lemon filling topped with slightly sweet toasted coconut.

Instructions Ingredients For the Crust 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour 1 ½ stick of cold butter ¼ cup powdered sugar For the Filling 5 eggs 1 ⅔ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup lemon juice 1 ½ cup mango puree ½ cup flour Topping Powdered sugar for sifting 1 cup toasted coconut

01 Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together 1¾ cup flour and powdered sugar.

Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press the mixture into the bottom of the baking pan.

Bake for 8-9 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned. Let cool.

02 Meanwhile, beat together eggs and granulated sugar. Stir in lemon juice and mango puree. Lastly, gently stir in ½ cup flour. Pour mixture over the crust. Reduce heat in the oven to 325°F and bake for 22–25 minutes or until set. Let cool and refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting bars. Dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle with coconut.

03 To make the mango puree, combined 2 cups diced mangoes, 1 tablespoon water and 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar in a small saucepan.

Bring to a simmer over medium low heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool. Process in a blender until it is smooth.

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heavenly

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When life hands you lemons

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chp 3 opener

A small amount of lemon zest can make a world of a difference to your dessert. This subtlety perfectly characterizes the essential quality of a lemon.

FROZEN DESSERTS

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When life hands you lemons

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Frozen desserts to sweeten your flavor profile chp 2 intro

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IN THIS CHAPTER PROFILE

Refreshing lemon apricot sorbet

I’ll begin this last chapter by clearly defining what I mean exactly by frozen desserts. Frozen dessert is the generic name for desserts made by freezing liquids, semi-solids, and sometimes even solids. They may be based on flavored water (shave ice, ice pops, sorbet, snow cones), on fruit purÊes (such as sorbet), on milk and cream (most ice creams), and on custard (frozen custard and some ice creams), and on mousse, and among many others.

When it comes to lemon frozen desserts specifically, I think that an entire book can be dedicated to it. There are so many interesting,

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curious things that can be done with lemon in a frozen form to also make it unbelievably luscious and decadent. Lemon sorbet is an extremely popular dish not only as a dessert but also works perfectly as a palette cleanser in between meals. This pungent, citrus flavor in the lemon strips the tongue of any taste that was present before the lemon.

Cheesecake is another extremely popular dish in the frozen desserts section. Lemon curd is a must have in this cookbook, and a lemon curd cheesecake makes it a far more interesting combination. These combinations make them a lot more appealing to the creative minded who want to dabble with things that are just lying around in their pantry, but making it quirky and curious all at the same time.

warm

lemon

pudding Instructions 01 Preheat oven to 350° F with rack in center of the oven and lightly butter one 1.5 quart baking dish or 4-6 individual, small ramekins.

Have ready a high-sided roasting pan and place the prepared dish in to the roasting pan. Bring 8-10 cups of water to a simmer. Separate your eggs and have ready. Allow to cool slightly, then remove from cake tins and transfer to wire rack to cool further.

02 Set aside 2 Tbsp. of the white sugar. Add the rest of the sugar to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the butter and beat until mixture is grainy but light. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition and the lemon zest and mix in. Add the flour, salt, milk and lemon juice and mix until combined.

Ingredients For the Pudding 2 tbsp butter, room temperature 1 cup white sugar, divided 3 large eggs, separated 1 tbsp lemon zest ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ tsp salt 1 cup milk ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tbsp icing sugar, for garnish

03 In another bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat your egg whites until they’re frothy and beginning to form soft peaks. Sprinkle in the reserved 2 Tbsp. of white sugar and beat again until stiff peaks form. Spoon the whipped egg whites on top of the egg yolk mixture.

Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites in to the egg yolk by pulling a bit of the batter up and over the egg whites. Now continue working gently until the mixture is uniform in color and texture.

04 Pour or ladle your batter in to the prepared dish or dishes, set in the roasting pan. Carefully pour simmering water in to the roasting pan so it comes about halfway up the sides of the baking dish.

Carefully transfer the roasting pan with the water and ramekins in to the preheated 350° F. oven. Puddings will bake anywhere from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. Remove the pudding from the oven and transfer baking dish or dishes to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before dusting with icing/confectioners sugar.

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Intro | Narrative | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

This delicious warm lemon pudding cake recipe is a perfect lemon dessert for any kind of occasion. On a cold day, this warm pudding is bound to make you feel nice an cozy!

Zesty

Serves 6–8

When life hands you lemons Zesty 54 54

Yields one pie( 12 slices )

This lush vegan, gluten and refined sugar free ‘cheesecake’ is the perfect treat to enjoy with friends on a lovely spring or summer day. Also a great dessert for the festive season.

Ingredients For the Crust 1 cup all purpose flour ¼ cup superfine sugar 7 tbsps unsalted butter, chopped For the Filling ¾ pound cream cheese 1 pound ricotta 4 eggs 1 ⅓ cups superfine sugar ¼ cup fresh lemon juice 2 tbsps finely grated lemon zest ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 ½ tbsps cornstarch 1 ½ tbsps water 1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Zesty 54 55

Intro | Narrative | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

lemon caramel cheesecake Instructions 01 Preheat oven to 300°F. Place the flour, sugar and butter in a bowl and rub with your fingertips to form a rough dough. Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the base of a lightly greased 8” round spring form pan lined with non-stick parchment paper. Bake the crust for 30 minutes or until golden and just cooked. Set aside.

02 To make the filling, place the cream cheese, ricotta, eggs, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and also the vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth. Place the cornstarch and water in bowl and mix until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the cheese mixture and mix to combine. Pour over the crust and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until light golden and just set. Turn the oven off and allow to cool in the oven with the door closed. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold. Top with the whipped cream to serve.

fresh

lemon

sorbet

Instructions 01 Juice each of the eight lemons, and also keep the juice aside for combining with the rest of the ingredients. After juicing the lemons, save the halves of the lemons to serve the sorbet in.

02 Heat up a small saucepan to medium heat. In this saucepan, slowly combine the water and sugar and then adding in the lemon zest a little by little making sure that it is fully incorporated into the mixture. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

03 Once this mixture has cooled, begin the straining process.

Strain the cooled water, sugar, and lemon zest mixture into a bowl.

Now begin to stir in 2 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice and the ½ cup of lemon-lime soda.

Ingredients For the Sorbet 1 ½ cups water ½ cup lemon-lime soda 2 cups sugar 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx 8 lemons) 1 to 2 tbsps freshly grated lemon zest Mint for serving

04 Finally, the mixture has cooled down and now it is time to cool the sorbet down. Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 metal baking plan.

Place in freezer (for 2–4 hours). Stir with fork every half hour making sure that the consistency is even.

05 To serve the sorbet, use the halved lemons that was stored away initially after juicing. Scoop the sorbet into the halved lemons, and garnish on top with mint leaves for an added zest!

Zesty Intro | Narrative | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

56 57

Serves 4–6

This fresh lemon sorbet will be like a refreshing kick for your mouth. This sorbet is perfect both on a warm summer's day as well as a cold day. This sorbet also acts as a prefect palette cleanser and rinser.

index A

Lemon Ricotta Gelato, 118

All-American Strawberry Shortcake, 84–86

Summer Lemon Cheesecake, 60–61

Lemon Almond Cake, 32

Triple-tart Cheesecake, 58–59

Lemon Ricotta Gelato, 118

Lemon and Anise Biscotti, 109–110

Cherry Sauce, 140

Lemon Granita, 122

Almost-instant Lemon Ice Cream, 117

Chilled Lemon Souffle, 78–80

Lemon Mascarpone-Clementine Gratins, 74–76

Luscious Lemon and Blueberry Tiramisu, 94 Sweet Lemon Ricotta Pizza Dough, 89

G

Fresh Lemon Gelatin, 77

Chocolate-dipped Crystallized Lemon Peel, 134 Chocolate Lemon Sorbet, 124

B

Biscotti, Lemon and Anise, 109–110 Blackberry Sauce, 137 Lemon Blueberry Cake, 40 Lemondade Blueberry Jewel Popsicle, 125–127

Warm Lemon Chocolate Sauce, 136 Classic Lemon Bars, 99 Creamy Lemon Pie, 28 Crisp Lemon Wafers, 103 Lemon Creme Brulee, 70–71 Creme Caramel, Lemon Fennel, 72–73 Lemon Curd, 130

Luscious Lemon and Blueberry Tiramisu, 94

I

Creamy Lemon Custard Ice Cream, 117 Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream, 115 Lemon Meringue Ice-cream Cake, 29–30 Lemon Ricotta Gelato, 118 Philadelphiaa-style Lemon Ice Cream, 116

Butter, Lemon, 35 Buttery Lemon Shortbread, 100

E

Elegant Lemon Straws, 111

C

Ethereal Lemon Angel Pie, 44

J

Jackfruit Summer Cheesecake, 57 Jell-O Lemon Bars, 113

Easy Lemon Almond Cake, 32 Lemon-Coriander Seed Cake, 35

26–27

F

Lemon Pudding Cake, 23

Frosted Lemon Curd with carmelized sugar, 109

Lemon Upside-Down Cake, 32-34

Fresh Lemon peel with Lemon Curd, 142

Lemon Meringue Ice-Cream Cake, 29–30 Lemon Chiffon cake with Chocolate Glaze,

Fresh Lemon Gelatin, 77

L

Lemonade, 127 Lemonade Fruit Jewel Popsicles, 125-127

Lemon and Anise Biscotti, 109-110

Philadelphia-style Lemon Ice Cream, 116

Luscious Lemon and Blueberry Tiramisu, 94

Lemon—Black Pepper Cornmeal Cookies, 106

Meringue Lemon Pie, 39–41

Triple-Lemon Cheesecake, 58–59

Lemon Butter, 35

Tangy Lemon Bars, 44

Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream, 117

Toasted Coconut and Lemon Cookies, 50

Lemon-Caramel Pots de Creme, 69-70 Lemon Ricotta Gelato, 118 Philadelphia-Style Lemon Ice Cream, 116 Lemon Cream Pie, 28 Raspberry Lemon Panna Cotta, 30 Lemon Meringue Tart, 32 Lemon Blueberry Cake, 40

R

Raspberry Lemon Cake, 140 Lemon Rice Pudding, 138 Raspberry Lemon Panna Cotta, 30

Lemon Meringue Cake, 42

Lemon Caramel Cheesecake, 54

Ultimate Lemon Mousse, 39-41 Lemon Meringue Pie, 32

S

Buttery Lemon Shortbread, 100 Lemon-chocolate Sorbet, 124 Fresh Lemon Sorbet, 56 Chilled Lemon Soufflé, 78–80 Sweet and Creamy Lemon Cheese Pie, 42–43

Lemon Marzipan Pudding, 80

P

Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake, 24 Ultimate Candied Lemon Peel, 26

Strawberry Lemon Cookies, 20

M

Ultimate Lemon Mousse, 66 Ultimate Heavenly Lemon Squares, 44

Heavenly Lemon Squares, 44 Warm Lemon Pudding, 52

U

T

Tangy Lemon Meringue Tart, 46–47

Lemon Raspberry Panna Cotta, 65

Chocolate Ganache Tart with Lemon, 54–56

Candied Lemon Peel, 132

Lemon Chiffon Tart, 52–53

Perfect Lemon Tart, 51

Lemon Meringue Tart, 32–33

W

Crisp Lemon Wafers, 103 Warm Lemon Pudding, 52 Warm Lemon-Chocolate Sauce, 136 World’s Best Lemon Madelines, 104

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colophon TYPEFACE Body Copy—Archer Book Pull Quotes, Sub-Heads—Proxima Nova

SOFTWARE Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop

EQUIPMENT Macbook Pro 15", 2.2 GHz Epson Artisan 1430

PAPER Neenah Classic Crest Classic Premium White—80 lb cover

DESIGNER Kavya Sivaraman, Academy of Art University

Intro | Narrative | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

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Zesty

When life hands you lemons

end page

Intro | Narrative | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

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Zesty

When life hands you lemons

LIFE GIVING YOU LEMONS IS PRETTY MUCH THE BEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN!

A zest for life celebrates the mouth–puckering goodness of citrus and brings a spritz of sunshine to your kitchen with 70 completely tempting, accessible recipes for the creative soul. Bright, lemony desserts are the perfect way to end a spring or summer meal; get inspired by these tangy treats. Lemons are a versatile, tangy fruit that be concocted to make a multitude of desserts. From the irresistible heavenly lemon squares with a creative spin to the unexpectedly tart cream cheese muffins with lemon curd, this zesty cookbook spans sweet and tart, with recipes for frozen desserts, cakes, pies, sorbets, breads, tarts, and

u.s. $49.99/ CAN $59.99 favorite lemony accents such as marmalade and lemon curd. Add your own creative spin to Cooking—Desserts

the tang in recipes and brighten your life with the taste of lemons, and lime!