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In the Oven: Lemon Lime Bars

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Next up on the schedule: bars with creamy citrus curd on a crisp coconut-graham crust! Posting date is December 1.

Lemon Lime Bars
 
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Yield: 24 bars
Ingredients
For the graham-coconut crust
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 15-17 crackers)
  • 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the lemon lime filling
  • 11 large egg yolks
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1¾ cups sugar
  • ¾ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons grated lime zest
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Make the graham-coconut crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread out the coconut. Put the baking sheet in the oven and toast the coconut until it starts to turn golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss the coconut, and return it to the oven for 3 more minutes.
  3. Put the graham cracker crumbs in a large bowl, add the toasted coconut and the brown sugar, and toss with your hands until combined. Add the melted butter. Use your hands to combine the mixture, then turn it out into the prepared pan. Using your hands, press the crust into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to create a perfectly even crust.
  4. Put the crust in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the crust cool before adding the filling.
Make the lemon lime filling
  1. Increase the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Put the egg yolks, eggs, sugar, lemon and lime juices, and lemon and lime zests in a large, clean metal pot. Whisk until combined. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture registers 180 degrees F. on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
  2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and cream. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the cooled crust. Use a rubber spatula to press the curd through the sieve.
  3. Make sure the curd is evenly distributed. Tap the pan gently against the counter to make a level layer.
  4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the filling is just set. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Wrap the pan in plastic (do not let the plastic touch the filling) and put it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Cut into squares and serve.
  5. The bars will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for 2 days.

 

In the Oven: Lemon Lemon Loaf

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Next up on the schedule: loaves of lemon on lemon on lemon! Posting date is February 24.

Lemon Lemon Loaf
 
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Yield: 2 (9-by-5-by-3-inch) loaves
Ingredients
For the lemon cake
  • 1½ cups cake flour
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2¼ cups sugar
  • 8 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup grated lemon zest (from about 4 lemons)
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the lemon syrup
  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup sugar
For the lemon glaze (optional)
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, or more if needed
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Make the lemon cakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the paper.
  2. Sift both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  3. Put the sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse until combined. With the motor running, drizzle the butter in through the feed tube. Add the sour cream and vanilla and pulse until combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
  4. Sprinkle in the flour mixture, one third at a time, folding gently after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, rotate the pans, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F., and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
  6. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the lemon syrup
  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  2. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and invert the loaves onto the pan. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the loaves.
  3. Brush the tops and sides of the loaves with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cakes cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
  4. (The soaked but unglazed loaves will keep, wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap and frozen, for up to 6 weeks.)
If you like, make the lemon glaze
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 4 tablespoons of the lemon juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. If the mixture is too stiff, add up to another 2 tablespoons lemon juice and whisk again, adding small amounts of lemon juice and/or confectioners’ sugar until you get the right consistency. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.
  2. The glazed loaves will keep for up to 3 days, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

 

In the Oven: Lemon Drop Cake

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Rev up your ovens, bakers – we’re making a bright, lemon-y cake. Posting date is December 16!

Lemon Drop Cake
 
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Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
For the lemon drop cake layers
  • 2½ cups cake flour
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
  • 1¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • Grated zest of one lemon
  • 1 large egg
  • 1½ cups ice cold water
  • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
For the lemon curd filling
  • ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)
  • Grated zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 large eggs
  • 7 large egg yolks
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
For the lemon drop frosting
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups milk
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup lemon curd
To assemble the cake
  • 8 mini lemon candies
Instructions
Make the lemon cake layers
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
  2. In a large bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the egg, and beat just until combined. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the ice water, in three separate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.
  4. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
  5. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.
Make the lemon curd filling
  1. In a small bowl, pour the lemon juice over the lemon zest and let stand for 10 minutes to soften the zest.
  2. In a nonreactive bowl whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until combined. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to the egg mixture and whisk until just combined.
  3. Place your bowl containing the egg mixture over a double boiler. Continuously stir the mixture with a heatproof spatula until the mixture has thickened to a pudding-like texture, about 6 minutes.
  4. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter until emulsified. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Take a sheet of plastic wrap and press it into the mixture and around the bowl so that the curd does not form a skin.
  5. Set the lemon curd aside while you make the frosting. Do not refrigerate the curd unless you are saving it for future use.
Make the lemon drop frosting
  1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.
  2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  3. Add the vanilla extract and 1⁄2 cup of the freshly made lemon curd and con- tinue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put it in the refriger- ator to chill slightly then mix again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.
Assemble the cake
  1. Refrigerate the frosting for a few minutes (but no more) until it can hold its shape. Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread about 1 cup of the remaining lemon curd on top. Add the next layer, trim, and fill with 1 cup of the lemon curd, then add the third layer and trim. Crumb coat the cake and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the frosting. Garnish with the candies and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up the finished cake.
Notes
How to store: This cake will keep beautifully in a cake saver at room temperature (cool and humidity free) for up to 3 days. If your room is not cool, place the cake in a cake saver and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.