Lemon Tart

Easy (and impressive) lemon tart

by in Food 1

So it’s been far too long since I’ve posted a lemon flavoured baked good post….or any post as a matter of fact.  With returning to self employment, as well as 9 weeks of solo parenting whilst Lachy was away on tour, life has been getting on top of me.

I’ve feel like I’m been on a never ending treadmill of work, parenting and housework….but I’ve decided to stop and reflect on what’s important to me… I’ve found that it’s easy to stop doing the things you enjoy when life gets tough, but the opposite should be true.  So now I’m making a point of keeping a focus on the bright side of life – this means more blog posts, picking up my guitar again and spending more time exercising….and of course, more lemon flavoured baked goods.

On that note – please enjoy this easy and delicious lemon tart recipe.  You can whip one of these babies up in under 20 minutes and you will not regret it (although I had to give mine away ((to the delight of my friends and neighbours)) because I was concerned I’d eat the entire thing).

Lemon Tart

Ingredients:

Base:

  • 1 and a half cups of finely crumbed biscuits (I used arnott’s granita biscuits)
  • 6 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

Tart Filling

  • 2 cans condensed milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup lemon juice
  • grated zest of 1 lemon (the more the merrier!!)
  • 1 pinch of salt

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
  • For the Base: Spray a pie dish with non-stick olive oil spray or grease with butter. Combine crushed biscuits, butter, and sugar. Press into prepared pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes.
  • For the Pie Filling: Using a mixer, mix the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice and salt together. Beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Pour into pie crust and bake for 10 minutes at 180 degrees celsius. Little bubbles will start to surface. Cover the crust if it starts to brown too much towards the end.
  • Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Lemon Tart

Serve with ice cream, cream or all of the above….and coffee… all of the coffee.

Lemon Tart

Little Lemon Tarts

by in Food 0

So it’s been a while since I’ve posted a lemon flavoured baked good on the blog….far too long I say!!

I’ve finally finished uni for the semester and what better way to celebrate with the baking and eating of (too many of) these babies!!

I looked at a few different recipes, and wanted to have a go at making the pastry myself….and this recipe was simple to follow and turned out beautifully!!

 

lemon tart 5 copy

Recipe from Butter Baking

Ingredients:

For the tart pastry:

  • 180g unsalted butter (6 oz)
  • 6 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 cups flour (300g, 10 oz)

For the lemon filling:

  • ¼ cup plain flour (35g, 1¼ oz)
  • 1 cup sugar (220g, ½ pound)
  • ½ cup lemon juice (125ml, 4 oz, about 3 lemons)
  • zest from 1 lemon, grated
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • pinch of salt

Method

  1. To make the tart pastry, preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F) and get out two mini muffin pans.
  2. Place the butter, water, oil, sugar and salt in an overproof bowl.
  3. Put the bowl in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the butter is melted, bubbling, and just beginning to brown around the edges.
  4. Carefully remove the bowl from the oven and dump in the flour. Stir quickly, until the dough comes together and pulls away from the side of the dish.
  5. Put a teaspoon of dough into one mini muffin hole, and press it into the base and up the sides using your fingers. Repeat until all the dough has been used.
  6. Prick the dough with a fork once or twice.
  7. Bake for 8 – 12 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown all over.
  8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
  9. To make the tart filling, reduce the oven to 150 C (300 F).
  10. Combine the flour and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix to dissolve the sugar.
  11. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and the egg yolk with salt.
  12. Add the eggs into the lemon and sugar mixture and whisk until well combined.
  13. Pour the filling into each pastry case
  14. Bake for 5 – 10 minutes, until the centers are just set

 

lemon tart 2 copy

They’re lemony, they’re delicious…what more could you want!!  Serve with a cup of tea!!

lemon cupcake

Little Lemon Cakes

by in Food 0

Just when you thought I couldn’t possibly post another lemon flavoured baked good recipe, I go and prove you wrong!!  BAM!!!  These lemon cakes are zesty, buttery and delicious!!!

They are quick and easy to make, and great for sharing (or for a rough day where you need to eat a lot of cupcakes).

If you’re looking for a healthier lemon cake, try this lemon yoghurt cake.  Or for a dairy free option, try the lemon friands!!

lemon cupcake

I used this recipe from BBC Good Food, but decided not to ice them.  They’re sweet enough without icing, but you can try a butter cream, or a lemon glaze if you want to jazz them up a bit more.

lemon cupcake

Ingredients

  • 125g of softened butter
  • 125g of caster sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 100g of self raising flour
  • 2 tbsp of milk
  • 2 lemons (zested)

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Using a whisk, beat together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs, flour (sifted), milk and the zest of the two lemons and a little squeeze of juice.
  4. Mix everything until it is a smooth mixture.
  5. Spoon one and a half tea spoons of the mix into the cake cases.
  6. Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins or until golden brown

lemon cupcake

lemon coconut cupcake

Coconut Lemon Cupcakes

by in Food 4

How do you make a lemon cake even more delicious!?  With the addition of coconut!!!!  Arrg, these are mind blowing – I thoroughly suggest you give them a whirl!!

I made these on a rainy Sunday with some Belle and Sebastian pumping and my little helper Dash assisting (by assisting I mean yelling and whining, but he was adorable nonetheless!!).  They’re really moist with the addition of coconut milk.  I will be making these again!!

cupcake3

cupcakes4

Here is the recipe – I adapted it from this one at Serious Eats.  I added lemon rind for an additional flavour, but you can leave the lemon out if you would prefer plain coconut.

Ingredients

  • 250grams unsalted butter, very soft
  • 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 1/4 cups plain flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • Rind of one lemon 

For Frosting

  • 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • Additional coconut flakes for decorating

Method

  1. Preheat over to 180 degrees Line 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Whisk butter, sugar, and salt in large bowl until creamy and light. Use an electric mixer to whisk in eggs, one at time, until combined. Whisk in 2/3 cup coconut milk, lemon rind and 1/2 cup coconut.

  2. Add flour and baking powder to the bowl and then whisk until just combined. Spoon batter into cups and bake until just set, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before icing.
  3. To make icing, stir confectioners’ sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons coconut milk in bowl until smooth. Adjust with more sugar or milk to achieve a thick glaze consistency. Add a drop of vanilla or coconut flavoring if desired.
  4. Spoon icing over cupcakes and sprinkle with coconut flakes.

Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes

by in Food 0

I rarely digress from my standard peanut butter and toast in the morning, but this morning I decided for something special I’d make pancakes!!  As a child I would make pancakes every weekend for my mum and brother, but haven’t made them in years….to make them a bit more exciting than the standard kind, I opted for a ricotta and lemon flavour…and they were awesome!!!

pancake3

pancake2

I served them with extra ricotta cheese and maple syrup.  The recipe makes a large quantity of batter so you can easily save some for another day.

pancake5

Here is the recipe – adapted from this recipe from taste.com.au 

Ingredients

Method

  1. Whisk milk, egg and vanilla together in a jug. Sift flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in centre. Add milk mixture. Whisk until just combined. Stir in ricotta and lemon rind.

  2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush pan with butter. Pour a generous spoon into the pan and cook until bubbles appear on surface before flipping.  Brush pan with butter between batches pancakes.

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Do you have a Saturday morning breakfast ritual in your house?  What is your go-to Saturday breakfast?