Dorie Greenspan's Raspberry Lemon Squares

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These squares are everything you have ever dreamed of in a lemon bar, plus more.  They were our dessert this past Fourth of July.  Unfortunately, I started a bit later than I expected and didn't let them cool enough before I cut them.  That's what you get when you are hassled and try to do too many things at once.  Baking shouldn't be one of them.

The crust is an almond crust and it is nice and firm, not soggy as in a lot of recipes.  The filling is lemony but not too and perfectly sweetened.  The addition of raspberries is the icing on the cake.  I had two boxes of blueberries in the refrigerator and toyed with the idea of making the squares, half raspberry and half blueberries to see the difference.  In the end, I decided to save the blueberries for muffins at another time. Glad I did.  Loved the raspberries!

The only thing I would change is to cut back on the final cooking time to 8 minutes instead of 10 to 13 minutes so the raspberries don't cook so much and come out firmer.  I have a convection oven which runs hot and that was perhaps my problem.  Just a thought, it's up to you, but watch that final cooking time.  If you do that, make sure you cook them previously for 35 instead of 30 minutes so the lemon filling is really cooked and set.

The recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook Baking Chez Moi and was developed for Driscoll, the raspberry company.  That was what prompted me to try it.  You know what Madame Mere says.....

This is not a quick recipe to make.  It has a lot of "down time". The original tells you the cooking time is 30 minutes.  Between the crust, the filling and the final baking of the bars, it is more than 80 minutes. Plus the waiting time to let the curd and the crust cool.   Give yourself the morning to make it or, better yet, make it the night before. They are much easier to cut when they are cold.  Do make them, you will be well rewarded and asked to make them again and again.

INGREDIENTS

Lemon Curd Filling

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 2/3 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (from 8-10 lemons)
• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

Crust and Crumbs

• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 
  
• 2 packages (6 ounces each) Driscoll's Raspberries (3 1/2 to 4 cups)
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions:

Filling

Working in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, whisk the eggs and sugar together until well blended. Whisk in the zest and lemon juice, then drop in the chunks of butter. Put the saucepan over medium heat and start whisking, taking care to work the whisk into the edges of the pan. If your whisk is too big to clean the edges, switch to a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Whisk without stop, and, in 8 to 10 minutes, the buttery curd will thicken. It won't get terribly thick--it thickens more as it chills--but you'll notice that your whisk leaves tracks. The sign that the curd is ready is a bubble or two burbling to the surface, then popping. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and scrape the curd into a heatproof bowl. Place a piece of plastic film against the surface and refrigerate the curd until it's cold all the way through. (Packed airtight, the curd can stay in the fridge for a couple of weeks.)

When You're Ready to Bake

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper to about 13 x 17 inches or so that about 2 inches hang over the edge of each side of the pan. Place the parchment paper inside the pan and butter the paper.

To Make the Crust and Crumbs

Put the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla in a food processor and whir until the mixture is blended. Add the almond flour and blend until smooth. Add the flour and pulse, stopping as needed to scrape the bowl, until you've worked the flour into the other ingredients and have moist, bumpy curds of dough. Reach in--if the dough holds together when you pinch it, it's ready.

Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead it gently to gather it together. Cut off one third of the dough, cover it and set it aside. Press the rest of the dough evenly over the bottom of the lined pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork.

Bake the crust for 15 - 18 minutes, or until it's pale golden all over. It will puff a bit and still feel soft to the touch, so judge its readiness by its color. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the crust cool to room temperature.

If you've turned off the oven, heat it to 375 degrees F again.

Scatter 1 package (1 3/4 to 2 cups) of raspberries over the crust. Stir the chilled curd to get it moving then, using a long offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the filling evenly over the berries. Pinch off small pieces of the reserved dough and scatter them over the filling - you'll have enough dough to almost completely cover the curd.

Bake the lemon squares 30 minutes, rotating the pan after about 20 minutes. Working quickly, remove the pan from the oven and scatter the remaining raspberries over the crumbs, gently and lightly pressing them into the topping. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 10 to 13 minutes. The filling will puff - and it should puff all the way to the center - the lemon curd will caramelize around the edges (my favorite part) and the crumbs will be golden brown. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let stand for at least 2 hours (and up to 6 hours) before cutting.

Use the edges of the parchment paper to carefully lift the lemon squares out of the pan and set on the counter or rack. Invert a plate over the lemon squares and turn the plate and lemon squares over and then peel away the parchment paper. Using a long, slender knife, cut the cake into 12 squares, about 3 inches on a side. Serve now or chill - the bars are delicious at room temperature, when the crust is almost as tender as the filling, and just as good chilled, when all the elements are firm but the filling melts in your mouth.

Dust with confectioners' sugar, if you'd like, just before serving.

Storing: Well wrapped, the squares will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days; wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost the squares, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan
Photos Lindaraxa

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake With Glaze

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Meyer Lemons are so good and so special they present a dilemma as far as what to make with them when they are in season.  They are a natural for desserts and can be substituted anytime lemons are called for, but you have to be careful how you use them to highlight the special qualities of this wonderful citrus.  To begin with, they are sweeter and juicier than regular lemons and intensely aromatic.  They are native to China and are said to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin.

Meyer lemons were introduced to the United States in 1908 by Frank Nicholas Meyer, an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture who collected a sample of the plant on a trip to China.

The Meyer lemon is commonly grown in China in garden pots as an ornamental tree. It became popular as a food item in the United States after being rediscovered by chefs such as Alice Waters at Chez Panisse during the California Cuisine revolution. Popularity further climbed when Martha Stewart began featuring them in her recipes. 

In my opinion, the assertive floral-citrus of Meyer lemons  is best enjoyed in curds, whether by themselves or in a cake or pie, and in this delightful pound cake which is by far the best I have ever had.   Martha Stewart also has a recipe for linguine with a Meyer lemon and pistachio pesto which is high on my list of savory recipes to try. 

I have changed the recipe a bit by substituting Meyer lemon juice for some of the vanilla in the pound cake.  I also have to warn you that the original recipe calls for a cooking time of 1 1/2 hours.  I halved the recipe and only made one loaf which took only 50 minutes to bake, so watch the timing carefully.  Next time I may even triple the amounts, it was that good.

The season for Meyer lemons is November to April so hurry up and stock up.  I plan to freeze the juice and some of the zest to make lemonade and these Meyer Lemon Squares in the summer.  For my Meyer Lemon Curd recipe go here. 

You will adore this pound cake.  Make the full recipe and freeze a loaf for later on.  You won't be sorry.

 

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 4 cups sifted cake flour, plus more for pans
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 8 eggs room temperature
• 1 cup milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. Meyer lemon juice*      
• Zest of 1 Meyer lemon

For the glaze

• Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
• 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more if needed
• 1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch (or larger) loaf pans and set aside.
Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder two times and set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir only until thoroughly blended. Gently fold in the zest.

Pour batter into the prepared pans, making sure to divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Level tops with an offset spatula.

Bake for about 1 1/2 hours**, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan about 10 minutes; then remove to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

Glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients to combine. If necessary, add additional confectioners' sugar to desired consistency.

Pour glaze on top of cakes and serve.

*I have added 2 tsps.Meyer lemon juice to the original recipe and changed the vanilla to 1 tsp
**Watch time carefully.  Mine was done after 50 minutes.. 

 

 Adapted from Martha Bakes, February 2011

Glazed Lemon Tea Cake With Berries and Cream

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When Citarella opened in New York City I used to stop by on weekends and buy their lemon pound cake.  I don't know if they still have it or if it's made by the same people, but I have never had one like theirs.  It was soft and moist and terribly lemony.  Luckily, it came in small individual loafs, enough for two rounds of afternoon tea.

For years, I have tried unsuccessfully to replicate that pound cake.   The texture was never quite right or the flavor not as lemony.  The catalyst this weekend was the gorgeous strawberries at the farmers market.  All I could think of on the way home was pound cake with berries and whipped cream for dessert! We did have a guest for dinner, the perfect excuse...so the quest started for a recipe to complement the loot and satisfy the craving.  I think this time I finally succeeded.

Because of its long and flat shape, I call this a tea cake and as an alternative, would serve it alone for afternoon tea.  It freezes well so once it's completely cooled,  wrap half and stick it in the freezer for unexpected occasions.  My daughter likes a thicker lemon glaze on top so I have included an optional glaze from one of the recipes I worked with.

The recipe is a blend of Martha Stewart's and Ina Garten's lemon pound cake.  I have found that although buttermilk (Ina's) sounds great in a cake, it makes for a very tight crumb.  I much prefer the texture you get from whole milk, something I have learned the hard way.

Martha Stewart's Lemon Pound Cake

I used Martha's recipe primarily and added a few things from Ina's such as the thicker lemon glaze on top and the 1/4 tsp of baking powder to make the cake slightly less dense.  What neither of them said to do was to make a few holes in the cake with a toothpick, while still hot ,and immediately pour the glaze.   

Serve this for dessert with your choice of berries and cream or alone for afternoon tea.  Either way it's to die for!

8/22/11 If you want an unforgetable experience, cut a slice of the frozen poundcake, stick it in a preheated toaster ovem set to toast and cook 12 minutes.  Let cool....Yummmmmyyyyyyyyyyy!

Serves 8

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan

3/4 cup, plus 4 tablespoons sugar, plus more for dusting

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus finely grated zest of 2 lemons, plus more for garnish (optional)

1/4 cup milk

2 large eggs

Glaze (optional)

1 Cup confectioners sugar

2-3 TB fresh lemon juice

2 pints of strawberries

1 pint of blueberries or blackberries

Whipped heavy cream

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Dust with sugar, and tap out excess; set aside. Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir together 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the milk.

2.Put butter and 3/4 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in eggs and zest. Working in two batches, alternate mixing in flour mixture and milk mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, stir together remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. In a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.  Upon removing cake from oven, take a toothpick and make about 10 holes in the pound cake.  Immediately brush with 2/3 of lemon glaze until all is absorbed. Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes. Add the rest of the glaze. Unmold cake. Garnish with zest.

Combine strawberries, and blueberries or blackberries, and  1/3 cup sugar in small bowl and toss gently to blend. Add fresh mint if desired. Let stand until juices form, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Cut cake crosswise into slices. Serve with berries and whipped cream or ice cream.

Optional:  If you want a heavier glaze on top, reduce step #3 to 3 tbs  sugar and 2 tbs. lemon juice.  Pour over the cake while still hot. Then combine 1 cup confectioners' sugar with  2 - 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cake and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Also check out Lindaraxa's Signature Pound Cake 

Photo: Randy Major, Jan Gautro

Citrus Semifreddo

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With the outlook for this weekend's weather, I thought you could use one of these desserts, whether you are entertaining or not.  I am working on a post you will appreciate, especially if you are a new subscriber, and it is taking me forever.  It is indeed a labor of love!  So today, it will be a very brief post with a recipe from someone else but one I thought you would definitely enjoy.  It is very straightforward and if you are one of those people who love gelatos but do not have an ice cream machine, here's your chance.  You don't need one!

Semifreddo (Italian: "half cold") is a class of semi-frozen desserts, typically ice-cream cakes, semi-frozen custards, and certain fruit tarts. It has the texture of frozen mousse because it is usually produced by uniting two equal parts of ice cream and whipped cream.  In Italian cuisine, the Semifreddo is commonly made with gelato as a primary ingredient. It is typical of the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna.

In this recipe, you are going to prepare the custard which makes the gelato up to the point where you would place it in the ice cream machine.  Instead of doing that, you are going to fold the cream into the custard and proceed directly to the freezer.  Don't skip the Limoncello, you know how I feel about it.  There are several recipes in the blog that use it and a few drops on espresso is a real treat.  My friend Juan taught me that and he is so right!

Printable Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

4 ounces purchased amaretti cookies, crushed (about 20 small cookies) plus more for sprinkling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup

8 large egg yolks

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons limoncello

Pinch salt

1 lemon, zested

1 lime, zested

1 cup whipping cream

Directions

Spray a 9 by 5 by 3-inch metal loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with plastic wrap, allowing the excess to hang over the ends and sides.

Combine the crushed amaretti cookies and the melted butter. Put in the lined pan and press down to firm and form a crust.

Whisk 1/2 cup of the sugar, the egg yolks, lemon juice, lime juice, limoncello, and salt in a large metal bowl to blend. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Whisk the egg mixture until it is thick and creamy, and a thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Set the bowl of custard into another bowl of ice water to cool completely. Stir in the zest.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in another large bowl until firm peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the custard. Spoon the mixture onto the prepared crust. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the custard and freeze until frozen, at least 8 hours or up to 3 days.

Unfold the plastic wrap. Invert the semifreddo onto a platter and peel off the plastic wrap. Cut the semifreddo into 1-inch slices and sprinkle with crushed amaretti cookies and serve.

Recipe Giada de Laurentis

Lemon, Orange or Grand Marnier Souffle

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Tonight, looking through some of my earlier unpublished post, I realized I had never posted this recipe.  It is for variations of Mark Bittman's fool proof chocolate souffle which I posted last year. Now, I pride myself on being willing and able to tackle almost anything in the kitchen, but when it comes to bread and souffles, I have to admit I'm a little skittish.  Luckly, I have a mother and a daughter who love me enough to act as guinea pigs and on those occasions, I have been mostly successful.  BUT, when it comes to making them for company I turn into a jellyfish.

I made the chocolate souffle last year for a dear friend from Geneva who was very impressed, or so he told me.  He used to work for me and is a darling man, and maybe he was just been gracious for old times sakes. But I don't think so,  I was kind of proud of it myself too!  I haven't had another willing young man over for another go at it, but I am sharing this with you because it is the exact same recipe except with different flavorings.  I am partial to the lemon souffle, particularly at this time of the year, so that is the one I would tackle next...maybe with meyer lemons??? I have in mind to try an apricot souffle next, as soon as they are in season.

If you want to make individual soufflés, use a little more butter and grease four 1 1/2- to 2-cup ramekins.

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Time About 45 minutes


Ingredients

About 1 teaspoon unsalted butter for the dish

1 cup sugar, plus some for the dish

6 eggs, separated

1 tablespoon minced or grated lemon or orange zest

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice or Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur*

Pinch salt

Powdered sugar (optional)

Method

1. Butter a 2-quart soufflé or other deep baking dish. Sprinkle the dish with sugar, invert it, and tap to remove excess sugar. Set aside and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar until light and very thick; the mixture will fall in a ribbon from the ends of the beaters when it is ready. Beat in the flavorings and set aside.

2. Beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold soft peaks; continue to beat, gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup sugar,* until they are very stiff but still glossy. Stir a good spoonful of them thoroughly into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, using a rubber spatula or your hand. Transfer to the prepared soufflé dish(es) and bake until the center is nearly set, 25 to 35 minutes (15 to 25 minutes for individual soufflés). Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.


*add 1 TB zest to egg whites

The Search Is Over...Lemon Meringue Pie

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If you think it is easy to bake a perfect lemon meringue pie think again.  This is one of the toughest pies to get right, for you have to get not just the filling but the meringue and the crust perfect as well.  Bad lemon meringue pies are a dime a dozen.  Either the crust is soggy or non existent, the filling is too soft or too hard and the meringue is just not right.  The proportion of filling to meringue is incredibly important, as well as their proportion to the crust.  It's quite a challenge.  I have been trying since the 70's and it wasn't until this weekend that I found the perfect recipe.  At least for the filling and the meringue.  I must admit I cheated on the crust and bought one ready made.  Next time I am definitely trying the crust that goes with this pie.

When we moved to Connecticut in the 60's one of our neighbors dropped off a packed lunch that included a lemon meringue pie.  I was hooked...hook, line and sinker!  In those days, neighbors still dropped by to introduce themselves and always welcomed you with a picnic lunch or something hot for dinner on moving day. Don't you wish those days were back?  Now you are lucky if you meet them by Christmas!

Throughout the years, I tried recipes from the Joy of Cooking and Craig Claiborne, but they were never perfect.  The problem was always the filling, too runny.  Finally I gave up.  Just recently, I picked up a copy of Lee Bailey's Country Desserts and spotted this recipe (I never really gave up looking).  Oh why not, I thought I'd give it a go.  But I certainly wasn't going to waste time making a pie crust if the filling and meringue weren't right so I went ahead with a pre baked pie shell.

Well, the search is over.  The filling is just perfect, lemony but not too tart and the meringue, oh the meringue...is sublime!  I don't know if it's adding the salt or what, but it is just d i v i n e !!! I did add and extra 1/4 cup of sugar to the egg whites, making it 3/4 instead of 1/2.  That was the only thing I changed and I'm glad I did.

This pie is so versatile it goes with everything from a cookout to a simple Sunday supper such as roast chicken.   It is particularly refreshing after a hot and spicy meal.  It must be the lemon. I served it last weekend for Poker Night after General Tso's Chicken and it was a perfect combination.  I know it sounds strange, but it works.  Goes to show you...

Serves 8

Ingredients

Pastry

1 1/3 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c unsalted butter, chilled, cut in thin slices
1/4 c lard or solid vegetable shortening
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
3 TB ice water

Filling and meringue

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 C plus 1 TB cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature plus
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 C cold water
1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
5 TB unsalted butter, cut in 5 equal pieces

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.  Cut in the butter, lard and zest until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Sprinkle the ice water and toss with a fork to blend.  Gather the dough into a ball.  If excess flour remains, add a few drops more ice water.  Shape into a disk and wrap in plastic.  Chill for 1 hour.

T assemble pie preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Roll out pastry into a 12 inch circle.  Fit into a 9 inch pie pan and fold edge under..

Line the pastry shell with a sheet of foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights.  Set pie pan on baking sheet and bake 10 mins. until edge is set.  Remove weights and foil and bake another 5 mins. until bottom firm and light golden,  Cool on a rack.

In heavy saucepan combine 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt the 4 egg yolks and the lemon juice.  Add 2 cups cold water and whisk until blended.  Cook over moderate heat, whisking until it comes to a boil.  Boil, stirring, 1 minute then remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and butter.Stir until the butter is completely melted.

Pour into pie shell, cover with a round of wax paper pressed directly on the surface and cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine the 5 egg whites and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt.  Beat until soft peaks form then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar (I added 3/4 cup) and beat until stiff peaks form.

Remove wax paper from top of filling and pile on the meringue.  Spread to slightly overlap and seal the fluted edges of the crust.  (This seal is important if not meringue will shrink inward over filling).

Bake in center of oven until top is pale golden, about 10 minutes.  Cool to room temperature on a rack then refrigerate until just chilled and set, about 2 hours.  Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.

Joe's Stone Crabs... Key Lime Pie

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Joe's Stone Crabs is a Miami Beach institution and the biggest tourist trap I have ever eaten at.  Don't get me wrong, the stone crabs are delicious and so are the hash browns, cole slaw and their key lime pie.  Their rolls are to die for, particularly the black ones with onions, and their wine list pretty extensive.  What is terrible, is the service, the 2 hour wait if you are not willing to "grease" the maitre'd  so you can get ahead of those in line, the rush to get you out, and the loudness of the place.  By the time you are finished, not only are you boiling at the outrageous cost of the meal, you can't wait to get the hell out of the place, always swearing you'll never come back, not even on a bet.  What most tourists don't know is that Joe's has a takeout next door, where you can get the same crabs and everything else, including the rolls. Same price, but at least you avoid the wait and the frustration.

When I lived in Miami, this is what I did initially when I craved stone crabs: Have someone pick them up at Joe's takeout, come back to my place where the view was outstanding, open one of my bottles of Puligny Montrachet and enjoy them on my terrace without the hustle and bustle.  Believe me, there were a lot of takers for this proposition! As time passed, I discovered other places where you could buy the stone crabs much cheaper and sometimes even fresher.  The recipe for their pie I had and my hash browns would give Joe's a run for his money.  The black rolls with onions was something I could never duplicate and driving down to Joe's was not an option, definitely not for rolls!

As with everything in life, you never know what you have until you loose it and now I'm sitting here with a tremendous craving for stone crabs and key lime pie;.but I refuse to fork out the exorbitant price I will have to pay to have Joe's send them FedEx.  What I can do, though, is bake their key lime pie which, I'm sure, will only enhance my craving for stone crabs even more, but I'm looking for other suppliers and who knows, maybe an excuse to have them shipped and celebrate.  What, I have yet to determine...maybe the first day of Spring!

Don't worry if you can't find key limes, this pie is just as good with regular limes.  When you do find them later on in the year, at least try to mix some in. 

Key Lime Pie

Makes 1 9-inch pie

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

1 wax paper-wrapped package graham crackers (1/3 of a pound box)
or
1 cup plus 2 1/2 tbsp graham cracker crumbs
5 tbsp melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar

Filling

3 Egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp Grated zest of 2 limes
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Topping

1 cup heavy or whipped cream, chilled
1 tbsp confectioners sugar


Directions

For the graham cracker crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Break up the graham crackers; place in a food processor and process to crumbs. (If you don't have a food processor, place the crackers in a large plastic bag; seal and then crush the crackers with a rolling pin.) Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie pan, forming a neat border around the edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack; leave the oven on.

For the filing:

Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

For the topping:

Whip the cream and the confectioners' sugar until nearly stiff. Cut the pie in wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge with a large dollop of whipped cream.

Bouchon's Tarte Au Citron

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There are different ways to make a lemon tart. At Bouchon, the French Laundry, and Per Se, they use a sabayon method, in which the eggs are first cooked with the lemon juice and sugar over hot water, then the butter is gradually incorporated — an easy method that results in a consistently good lemon custard or curd. The crust is made with sweet and nutty pine nuts, which I think are the perfect balance for the rich, tart custard.

Now, you know how I hate to bake pie crusts, particularly if they entail working all that flour and butter back and forth.  Not in this case...this crust is eeeasy!

First make the crust recipe below. This entails cooling time, so plan ahead.  The recipe will make three pie crusts but you can't halve it  for it only takes one egg.  Freeze the rest for another day.


For the Pine Nut Crust

Ingredients:

10 ounces (2 cups) pine nuts
1/3 cup sugar
1 pound (3 cups) all-purpose flour
8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Preparation

Place the pine nuts in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the sugar and flour and continue to pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Add the butter, egg, and vanilla extract and mix to incorporate all the ingredients (the dough can be mixed by hand or in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Divide the dough into three equal parts. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before using. (The extra dough can be frozen, wrapped well, for up to 1 month.



Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and refrigerate it while the oven preheats.

Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator. Use your fingertips to press the chilled pine nut dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim off any excess dough.

Bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes, then rotate it and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool while you make the filling. (There may be some cracks in the crust; they will not affect the finished tart.)


For the Lemon Sabayon:

Ingredients

2 large eggs, cold
2 large egg yolks, cold
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces


Procedure

Bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil in a pot that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl you will be using for the sabayon. Meanwhile, in a large metal bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, and sugar for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is smooth.

Set the bowl over the pot and, using a large whisk, whip the mixture while you turn the bowl (for even heating). After about 2 minutes, when the eggs are foamy and have thickened, add one-third of the lemon juice. Continue to whisk vigorously and, when the mixture thickens again, add another one-third of the lemon juice. Whisk until the mixture thickens again, then add the remaining lemon juice. Continue whisking vigorously, still turning the bowl, until the mixture is thickened and light in color and the whisk leaves a trail in the bottom of the bowl. The total cooking time should be 8 to 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and leave the bowl over the water. Whisk in the butter a piece at a time. The sabayon may loosen slightly, but it will thicken and set as it cools. Pour the warm sabayon into the tart crust and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Preheat the broiler. While the sabayon is still warm, place the tart under the broiler. Leaving the door open, brown the top of the sabayon, rotating the tart if necessary for even color; this will take only a few seconds, so do not leave the oven. Remove the tart from the broiler and let it sit for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Cooks note:

Although it doesn't say so in the recipe, you can always make a light meringue and decorate the top in some nice fashion as in the photo above before you put the tart under the broiler.  You can also add some grated lemon rind.


Recipe courtesy of Epicurious and Bouchon
Photo: Bouchon

Zesty Lemon Chicken

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Had this for dinner tonight. Simply sensational. I bought the wrong cut of chicken, thinking it was boneless chicken breasts instead of skinless chicken tenders. My original intention was to make chicken paillard but there you go, we had Lemon Chicken instead. My daughter is going to be thrilled when I make it for her as it is one of her favorite Chinese dishes.

This is an adaptation of an adaptation of Martin Yan's Lemon Chicken. I've forgotten what the original recipe looks like as most of my cookbooks are in storage (they'll be out soon!). No matter, this is a keeper.

Chinese meat dishes, as a rule, are not marinaded beforehand for long periods of time. Ten minutes is the usual time in most recipes. In this case, since the chicken was intended for something else, the tenders sat in fresh lemon juice and garlic for about 4 hours*. That might have been what made this dish over the top. The end result was a light crisp crust on the outside and very tender and juicy inside, with a sauce that was lemony and not too sweet. White rice and broccoli florets accompanied the dish. Can't wait to make it again!

Yield
4 servings


Ingredients

6 to 8 tablespoons mild-flavored honey
5 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoon lemon pulp
2 tablespoons plum sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 lbs. chicken breast tenders*
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup cooking oil
1/2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Make the sauce by whisking the honey, lemon juice, zest and pulp together in a small bowl until blended. Stir in the plum sauce, pour into a small saucepan; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine egg with the salt and white pepper. Lightly coat the chicken with the cornstarch; dip into the egg mixture and coat in the cornstarch again. Let it stand for 5 minutes.

Shake off the excess cornstarch prior to cooking.

In a wok, heat the oil until hot. Cook the chicken, a couple pieces at a time, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat; add the cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens.

Place the chicken on a serving plate. Pour the sauce on top and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.