deliciousness

how not to make lemon curd.

what’s wrong with this picture?

Argh! I forgot to add the lemon juice to the curd. On the plus side I zested all the lemons, instead of just the one that the recipe called for.

However…

Aahh! I processed the curd for canning (wasn’t planning on making a lemon tart anytime soon) but I think I boiled it for too long. The curd solidified and smells very… eggy. Next time I’m just going to make the damn tart shell along with the curd.

meyer lemon mascarpone muffins.

via a little zaftig
makes 24+ muffins

3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tbsp meyer lemon zest
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
5 large eggs
1/4 cup meyer lemon juice
1 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line 2 muffin tins with 24 muffin papers. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, zest, and sugars. Add the applesauce and scrape down the sides. Add the eggs one by one, then add the lemon juice and mascarpone.

Add the flour combo and mix only until incorporated. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 20-22 minutes, rotating the tins halfway through.

make-ahead spiced steel cut oats.

via thekitchn
serves 5

1 tsp of butter
1 cup steel cut oats dry
1 cup water
2 cups milk
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp group nutmeg
2 tbsp honey
1 dash of vanilla
1 medium pinch of salt

Heat the butter over medium heat until melted. Add the oats and fry them for about 3 minutes, or until they start smelling toasty. Mix in water, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, vanilla, and salt and stir until there are no lumps. Bring the oats to a boil, simmer for 3 minutes, then take off heat.

Ladle the oats into jars (I used 5 half-pint mason jars). Cover tightly with caps and rings and leave on counter overnight. (You can refrigerate them too but they will be thinner, less creamy in the morning.)

The next morning, put all but one of the jars in the refrigerator. Take off cap and stir up oatmeal inside. Microwave for 1 minute (2 to 3 if from the fridge).

lemon poppy seed muffins

via joy the baker
makes 12 muffins

2/3 cup granulated sugar
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour cream (buttermilk worked better for me)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter, melted until browned and cooled
2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (for topping the batter before baking)

For the Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar whisked together with 2 or 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12 mold, regular sized muffin tray with paper muffin liners, place the muffin pan on a baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl, rub the granulated sugar with the lemon zest until the sugar is lightly colored and scented with lemon. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk (or sour cream), vanilla extract, melted butter and lemon juice. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together. When almost thoroughly mixed, add the poppy seeds. Divide batter between muffin cups. Sprinkle each would be muffing with granulated sugar.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the tops are golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing. If you’re freezing the cupcakes for future eating, skip the glaze. It doesn’t freeze well.

strawberry jam

via ina garten
yields two pints

2 cups sugar
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 pints strawberries, hulled and halved

Combine the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the strawberries and continue to cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, until the strawberries release some of their juices and the mixture boils slowly. Cook until a small amount of the juice gels on a very cold plate. (I keep one in the freezer.)

Pour carefully into jars and either seal or keep refrigerated. Use immediately or put in sterilized jars.

picture via

mango and vanilla jam

via closetcooking
makes 5 cups

4 cups mango, stoned, peeled, chopped
1 box pectin crystals
5 1/2 cups sugar
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 vanilla bean (seeds)

Bring the mangoes and pectin crystals to a boil with high heat in a large pot. Mash the mixture (depending on how chunky you want the jam to be), then add the sugar, lemon juice and vanilla and bring to a hard boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir and skim foam for 5 minutes.

Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

picture via