LEMONIEST LEMON CUPCAKES

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After skipping the first two two projects, I was ready to join the Avid Bakers again -
Lemoniest Little Lemon Loaf from Christina Marsigliese, our new source for "Scientifically Sweet" recipes.

I love all citrus-y desserts, the tarter the better! And right now, having shoveled snow almost every day, I wish we could be back where the biggest lemons grow, the Amalfi coast!

Lemons (and Limoncello) in Amalfi - I wish we were there!

A whole cake is always a bit too much for two people who are forced to eat all their output (and they love to cook!), so I decided to make cupcakes instead, with a bit of lemon glaze for even more citrus flavor.

Since the cake contained cornmeal, I did not smuggle some whole wheat in the batter (what I usually do), and because Christina's cake didn't seem overly sweet, and had a lot of lemon juice, I didn't reduce the amount of sugar, either.

True to their name, the cupcakes tasted very lemony, indeed. A little trip to Italy for our taste buds!

Moist and lemony

LEMONIEST LEMON CUPCAKES (adapted from "Scientifically Sweet")
(12 cupcakes)
 
163 g/1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
42 g/1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tbsp lemon zest
¼ tsp salt
132 g/2/3 cup sugar
80 ml/1/3 cup canola oil
¼ cup lemon juice

GLAZE
120 g/1 cup confectioner's sugar
lemon juice (as needed for the desired consistency)
lemon zest, as decoration

Preheat oven to 350°F/175ºC. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together dry ingredients

Using a whisk, stir together flour, cornmeal and baking powder in a medium bowl until well combined.

In bowl of a standing mixer (or hand held mixer), whisk eggs, egg yolk, lemon zest and salt on medium-high speed until foamy, about 40 seconds.

With the mixer running, gradually add the sugar. Then increase the speed to high and continue beating until mixture is very pale and almost white in color, about 5 minutes. It should nearly triple in volume.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, first with the whisk attachment....

In a small bowl, stir together oil and lemon juice. Using the whisk attachment, fold 1/3 of the flour mixture into the egg mixture.

Add 1/2 of oil mixture and fold until almost blended. Fold in 1/2 of remaining flour mixture followed by remaining olive oil mixture.

....then the last flour addition by hand with a rubber spatula

Finally, by hand with a rubber spatula, gently fold in last 1/3 of the flour mixture until evenly incorporated.

Distribute batter evenly in cupcake liners (I use a 1/4 scoop). Place muffin pan in the middle of the oven.

Lemoniest cupcakes ready for the oven

Bake cupcakes until they are pale golden, but still springy when touched, and a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pan, and transfer to a wire rack.

Waiting for their glaze

For the glaze, mix confectioner's sugar with enough lemon juice to make a thick but still liquid icing. Spoon glaze (about 1 teaspoon each) over tops of cupcakes. Decorate with a little bit of lemon zest.

BRAIDED LEMON BREAD

 

Our Avid Bakers Challenge project for August, Braided Lemon Bread from the King Arthur Flour website, promised two things, a creamy lemony filling - I love lemons - and an interesting new shaping technique: a mock braid. 

One bread is enough for us two, therefore I used only half of the recipe.

Since the best of all husband doesn't care for lemon curd, I mixed it into the filling, instead of spreading it as a discernible layer it on top. 

The more lemony the better

Also, I added some lemon zest to the dough, and substituted half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat.  

Made with a sponge as preferment, the dough is easy to mix, but somewhat challenging to handle. A little sticky, it requires a very gentle approach, try rolling it out a bit more forceful, and it will cling to your hands and the rolling pin.

Dusting the top of the dough prevents sticking

It is a good idea to roll out the dough on the same piece of parchment paper it will be baked on - to avoid sticky transport problems. And you can fold the paper to mark the desired length and width. 

I enjoyed learning how to make the divisions and cuts for the mock braid, and King Arthur's blog was a great help.

With 4 corners cut off, the left over end pieces are folded over the filling

Folding the strips over the filling to make the mock braid is easy, but they are quite soft, so be gentle, and don't pull, they still might stick.

Mock braiding in progress

When all stripes are folded, and the mock braid is done it looks like a real mummy braid.

Since my new oven tends to need a little more baking time, I stuck with the recipe's temperature of 375ºF, in spite of some reviewers warnings. I didn't mind the darker color, though 360ºF probably would have been enough.

Fresh from the oven

This recipe has a five-star rating, and obviously my fellow ABC bakers loved it, too. Much as I enjoyed the making of it, I was somewhat disappointed with the result. 

I am no great fan of sweet, soft breads, "Kuchenbrot" (cake bread) as they are called in German, but had hoped the lemony filling would make up for that. The lemon cream does taste really good, but, alas, it is only a thin layer.

This is just my taste, many people love these kinds of breads. And other ABC bakers tried other, interesting fillings, so check those out, too.

ERRÖTENDE JUNGFRAU - BLUSHING MAIDEN WITH CHERRIES

Light, fruity and lemony - just the right dessert for hot summer days!

My family has two favorite summer desserts, both very light, tangy and refreshing.

One is the famous Rote Grütze, made of at least three different kinds of red berries, a summer treat so popular that it slowly made its way from Denmark and Northern Germany to the South, even welcomed by Bavarians (who notoriously despise everything even remotely "Prussian").

Popular German summer dessert Rote Grütze

The other goes by the poetical name of "Errötende Jungfrau" (= blushing maiden), referring to the delicate pink hue of the dessert. It is made with buttermilk and lemon, and we enjoy it even when the temperature goes up to 90, and our panting Buffy demonstrates the true meaning of "Dog Days".

Summer's Dog Days turn Buffy into a sea dog

"Errötende Jungfrau" is, like Rote Grütze, a traditional North German specialty, not only Pommern (Pomerania) (homeland of my mother and grandmother), but Ostpreussen (East Prussia) and Dithmarschen in Schleswig-Holstein claim it as their own.

Our family version is simple and straight forward: just buttermilk, lemon juice and zest, sugar and gelatin.

The red coloring comes from red gelatin. Other recipes contain egg yolks, fruit or even red wine.

Though my beloved Omi's puristic recipe is very good, I like to achieve the pretty pink color in a more natural way.

Dark, sweet cherries, one of my favorite fruits, make my Maiden blush, and, also, adds some nice bits to the jello-like dessert.

"Errötende Jungfrau" is quick and easy to make. It only needs some time to set and chill.

Make it in the morning, when you want to enjoy it with tea or dinner. Or prepare it the evening before.



ERRÖTENDE JUNGFRAU - BLUSHING MAIDEN WITH CHERRIES  (12 servings)

17 g/ 3 tbsp + 1/4 tsp. gelatin powder (2 1/2 pouches) (I use Knox Unflavored Gelatine)
 or 12 gelatin sheets
 cold water, for soaking gelatin
 1 liter buttermilk (I use 2%)
95 g/6 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
250 g pitted cherries
125 ml whipped cream (for garnish, optional)

Cherries and cherry puree provide fruity bits and color

In a blender (or with an immersion blender), puree 50 grams of the cherries. Cut remaining 200 grams in halves (saving a few as decoration), and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sugar, lemon juice and zest and vanilla extract. Stir in pureed cherries, until well blended.

Cherry puree makes your Maiden blush naturally

For gelatin powder, sprinkle gelatin over 150 g cold water. Let stand for 1 minute, then microwave on high for 30-40 seconds, stirring once to dissolve.

For gelatin sheets, in a small bowl, cover gelatin sheets with cold water. Let stand for 5 minutes, then gently wring to remove excess water, and microwave it until melted.

To temper it (and prevent lumps!), stir 1/4 cup of the buttermilk mixture into the melted gelatin, until well combined. Then, slowly add tempered gelatin in a steady stream back into buttermilk mixture, whisking continuously, until completely blended.

Slowly add tempered gelatin to the buttermilk mixture, whisking steadily

When mixture starts to thicken, but has not completely set, fold in chopped cherries. Pour dessert in a glass bowl, cover, and place in refrigerator for several hours to chill and set.

To serve, decorate with whipped cream (if desired) and reserved cherries. "Errötende Jungfrau" keeps fresh for several days in the fridge.

Enjoy!