Baking With Lemons and Limes

Barbie is looking extra cool today in her halter-top citrus dress.  It puts me in the mood for something tangy and refreshing.

serves eight

My mother always made this for her adult company.  It’s straight from the 1950’s. My version of the re-created recipe now serves 16, but I couldn’t change the name.(Page 22 CR)

crust

4 egg whites

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

¾ cup granulated sugar

Whip whites until frothy, add cream of tartar.  Add sugar one tablespoon at a time to form a very stiff meringue.  Spread in a 9x13 glass pan and bake at 300˚ for one hour.  Cool.

filling

18 egg yolks

2¼ cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, until thick. Strain and add:

2 tablespoons butter  

You will need 8 large lemons. Add:

12 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons lemon zest, finely grated

Cool, then put on top of cook meringue and top with whipped cream.  Refrigerate.

key lime torte

I’ve never been that big a fan of Key Lime Pie, but a friend requested a recipe without the sweetened condensed milk.  So, here is my take on key lime that will serve a large group.  This will also freeze well. (Page 107 Chocolate Rehab)

filling

1½ cups granulated sugar

⅓ cup flour

4½ tablespoons cornstarch

3 cups water

Combine in saucepan and cook for two minutes.  Blend a little of the hot mixture into:

5 egg yolks

Stir to warm the yolks.  Then gradually add the yolks to the saucepan.  Cook about 8 minutes, until thickened.  Strain the mixture and add:

2 tablespoons butter

⅓ cup key lime juice

¼ teaspoon lime oil or lime extract

⅛ teaspoon key lime zest, finely grated

Cool completely.

cake

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 cups granulated sugar

Cream the sugar and butter.  Add eggs one at a time.

4 eggs

Add:

3 teaspoons key lime juice

½ teaspoon key lime zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon lime oil or extract

½ teaspoon green food coloring, optional

Add dry ingredients:

2⅓ cups flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons buttermilk powder

Combine ingredients and slowly add:

1 cup water

Mix until smooth.  Grease 3 Maryann pans* and divide batter among them.  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.  Cool for ten minutes and remove from pan.  Allow to cool completely. 

Divide filling equally and place in the indentation on top of each cake.  Refrigerate.

* Maryann pans are available through King Arthur.  If you don't own a similiar pan with an indention formed in the top, you can always use 8-inch cake pans and hollow out about 1/3 inch of the top of each cake, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the full height to hold the filling.