Citrus Delight Cakes and Lemon Curd

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 25 mins Makes: 6 (large)

Cakes

Ingredients

• 180g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
• 250g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
• 80g plain flour
• 125g almond meal
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 5 egg whites
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Blueberries and thick cream, optional, to serve

Lemon curd

Ingredients

• Juice & zest of 4 lemons
• 4 eggs
• 340g caster sugar
• 250g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp cornflour

Method

Before you start, lightly grease a muffin tray with a little butter and preheat oven to 180˚C. ‍

To make the cakes:

1. Melt butter in a pan over low heat. Cook it for 3-4 minutes until you start to see flecks of brown appear.
2. Set aside to cool.
3. Sift the icing sugar and flour into a bowl and stir in the almond meal and lemon zest.
4. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy (do not over-whisk as you just need to loosen them).
5. Add to the dry ingredients along with the melted butter, lemon juice and vanilla.
6. Use a metal spoon to combine, then fill the muffin cases three-quarters full.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden (a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean).
8. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out. If you’re keeping it simple, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

For something a bit more decadent read on!

To make the lemon curd:

1. Place all the ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan and stir to combine.
2. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking or forming lumps.
3. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
4. Keep refrigerated.
5. To serve, dust cakes with icing sugar, spoon on a generous dollop of lemon curd, then top with thickened cream and blueberries.

Enjoy! (For a variation of the recipe, try oranges or limes instead of lemons.)‍