Lemon Macarons

Make sure with this recipe use proper scales
Prepare two baking trays with baking paper on them
Prepare one saucepan with a candy thermometer in it ready

To make macaron shells:

150g  fine almond meal
150g powdered icing sugar
110g egg whites halved into two bowls (55g in one and 55g in another bowl)
150g white caster sugar
drops of yellow food colouring (a few drops)
drops of lemon essence
35g mineral water

Mix together the almond meal with the icing sugar in a blender. Pulse together to make a little finer.

Place into a large bowl and add the colouring and flavor (approx 5 drops) and one of the 55g of egg whites but do not mix in yet.

Remember that the other bowl with egg whites will be beaten on their own in the next step (55g).

Place caster sugar and the mineral water into a saucepan and combine to cook without stirring to 118 degrees celcius (using a proper thermometer for liquids). Once this liquid gets to around 115 you need with the other hand to start mixing the egg whites in the bowl as this will be combined together next step.

Once this liquid it finally at 118 stop the heat and pour very carefully away from yourself into the blending egg whites. Keep mixing until around 50 degrees.  Then stop.  Now you can add the almond mixture mixing with spatula upwards and slow not too  much mixing. Around 30 seconds until shiny.

Then this can be added to a piping bag to pipe out on lined baking tray.  Tap them on the bench top to let any air bubbles out and let sit for a good 2 hours until stiff.

Set oven on fan forced approx 130 degrees celcius.

Place trays in oven and rotate after 6 minutes one top and one bottom.

Cook for approx 12 -15 minutes and opening to oven to rotate them after 6 minutes should help to make them not go brown.

Let cool on paper and remove carefully with metal spatula when ready or even peel them off the paper.

Set aside to cool while preparing the ganache.

This made around 20  small macarons

Lemon ganache filling:

150g unsalted butter diced (room temp)
100g caster sugar
Juice of one lemon
1 egg
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons mineral water
2 drops of lemon essence

Melt 40g of the butter in saucepan over low heat then add the lemon juice with 50g of the caster sugar.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved and then add the 1 egg (keep egg yolks for later on)

Mix well with a hand beater stirring until it begins to thicken and then when thick transfer to bowl and cling wrap it and place in fridge.

Place the 3 egg yolks into another bowl and whip for 10 minutes until thick and creamy. Set aside.

In another saucepan place the 2 tablespoons of mineral water and the remaining sugar and heat up making sure to keep the thermometer on the edge.  When the temperature reaches 120 degrees celcius it is ready to be poured into the creamed yolks. Beat on high for 10 minutes until cooler. Add the lemon essence.

Turn the beater down after 10 minutes and slowly add the remaining butter pieces. Beat on high when all butter has been blended in for 2 minutes and then add the cooled lemon mixture from fridge.

Cover ganache with cling wrap and chill for at least 3 hours until very cold and firm ( i fill them the next day)

Then you can assemble the macarons.  Make sure to place macarons in airtight container in fridge.

Lemon Tart Squares

Lemon Tart Squares

Serves: 8 approx

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 for pastry, 40 for cooking tart

1 quantity of pastry for tarts or see below for tart pastry

220g of plain flour

pinch of salt

150g unsalted butter chilled and diced

1 egg yolk

Makes approx 450g

Square tin for baking

Sift flour and add salt into large bowl.  Then add the butter and rub in with fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the egg yolk and some cold water (approx 2 tablespoons) mix until the dough starts to form.  Then make a ball and wrap with gladwrap and place in fridge for approx 30 minutes minimum.  Roll out on bench with a rolling pin.  When rolled out to size move the pastry into your square tin and press around so its quite firm.  Bake for approx 10 minutes.  Check it may need another 2-3 minutes but try not to brown it.  Keep temperature on approx 160 degrees celcius.

Filling:

4 eggs

2 egg yolks

200g of caster sugar

150g of double thick heavy cream

200ml of lemon juice or lime if you like

1 teaspoon finely grated zest

Making the filling you mix the eggs, yolks and sugar.  Then add cream whisking whole time add the lemon juice and zest.

When the pastry is ready carefully pour in the filling and return to oven to bake for approx 40 minutes on 150 degrees. Check if its set otherwise cook a little longer.  Leave to cool then refridgerate and serve cold.  Add a little dusted icing sugar for serving.

Lemon Meringue Tarts

Lemon Meringue Tarts

Serves: 10 approx

Preparation Time: 45 minutes approx

Cooking Time: 10 minutes for base and 7minutes for meringue

Tart cases

1 1/2 cups Plain Flour

1/4 cup of caster sugar

125 butter softened

2 egg yolks

cupcake pan

Lemon curd

100g caster sugar

2 tablespoons of cornflower

3/4 cup of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of water

2 egg yolks

2 teaspoons of lemon zest (grated lemon peel)

Meringue Topping

3 egg whites

1/2 cup of caster sugar

Place the flour, caster sugar, butter and egg yolk into a food processor and blend until it becomes a soft dough. Add more butter if it is too dry.  It should be firm so you can then roll it all into a ball and cover with cling wrap and place into fridge for 30 minutes.

To make the lemon curd  combine in a saucepan the caster sugar, cornflower , lemon juice and water. Turn the heat on low.  Stir the curd until it begins to boil.  It will turn thick then turn the heat down and quickly stir in the egg yolks and the lemon zest.  Set aside with a cover over it slightly and leave to cool down to room temperature.

Remove the dough after the 30 minutes and roll out on a flat surface between two baking sheets under and over it.  Press the dough into each lightly buttered cupcake pan and smooth down edges. Prick the base and the edges with a fork slightly

Cook the bases for approx 10 minutes on 180 degrees celsius.  After they are cooked let them cool down a little before filling them with lemon curd. 

Make your meringue topping by using a dry bowl and place egg whites and beat until thick peaks form.  Slowly add caster sugar. When thick place meringue into a piping kit with a star shaped tip.  Pipe little peaks onto each tart.  Bake in oven for approx 7 minutes on 180 degrees til you have a gorgeous golden peak.

Enjoy these cuties either cold or hot.  Can be kept for three days in fridge in airtight container.