My Kitchen My Table

Little Lemon Miracles

Two cooks showed up at the table having made these “little miracles”. They were little pillows of lemony goodness with sweet, fresh strawberries and mint garnish. The presentation spectacular!

Feedback on the recipe is that it made 2 more servings than indicated and of course, strawberries were substituted for raspberries. I think that blueberries would be delicious with this too… or a mixed berry combo….

Little Lemon Cakes with Soft Cream

These little lemon miracles ( I mean cakes) create two layers of completely different textures when they bake. On the bottom: a spongy, soufflé-like cake layer. On the top: tart lemon curd. A dollop of softly whipped cream adds just the right sweetness and richness, while the raspberries add a gorgeous punch of color. I promise you will love these fun little cakes. A big hug to my best chef friend, Gary Dnako for inspiring this.

Melted Butter, as needed, for brushing
Granulated sugar, as needed, for dusting
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons plus ¾ cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs, separated
Granted zest of 2 lemons
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups whole milk
2/3 cup lemon juice, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream, for topping
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, for topping
Raspberries, for garnish (optional)

Brush 8 ramekins, 5 ounces each, with butter. Dust the inside of each of the ramekins with granulated sugar and tap out the excess. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Cream the butter and the 6 tablespoons granulated sugar until light in color and texture, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest and flour. Add the milk and lemon juice and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks form. Add the remaining ¾ cup sugar. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Fold into the lemon mixture. Evenly divide the mixture among the prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins in a large baking pan and pour in boiling water to reach 1 inch up the sides. Bake until set, light brown, and skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Whip the cream to soft peaks and add 1 tablespoon of the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla.

To serve, unmold the individual cakes onto dessert plates. Top with the cream and dust with the remaining confectioners’ sugar. Garnish with raspberries and serve immediately.

Serves 8

TO DRINK: Late-harvest Riesling

Recipe by Joanne Weir, from Wine Country Cooking

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