Lemon Cream Pots & Almond Shortbread

A bench top full of canary yellow lemons and sweltering summer like heat had me contemplating and lusting after a smooth, creamy, cooling and refreshing dessert perfect for this time of year.  My desires lead me to these cute as a button lemon cream pots and I am very delighted they did.  

These pots are heavenly, in every sense of the word.  They are as light as air, soft as a cloud, silky and luscious and ooze with angelic sweetness.  They are the epitome of blissful balance with just enough lemon for zesty springtime freshness, the perfect amount of sugar for sweetness and the ideal flourish of honey to add to the already creamy luscious texture.  Each mouthful is as gorgeous as the last and you will have no trouble whatsoever making your way to the bottom of the jar. 

I don’t think I’ve ever been this captivated by a dessert before.  I am completely enthralled by these teeny tiny pots of lemony luscious goodness.  To be totally honest, thoughts of the lemon cream have been dancing through my mind since I smelled the cream mixture spiked with honey and lemon simmering on the stove top.  And I was exceedingly exciting pouring the creamy thick mixture into the jars knowing that in just a few mere hours one of the most amazing desserts would be ready to eat, slowly, serenely and with great pleasure.

The final flourish I wanted to accompany the lemon cream pots with was a batch of almond shortbread dusted in icing sugar.  Shortbread has long been a favourite of mine, ever since I used to make it with my dad as a child.  I adore its buttery, delicate, melt in your mouth qualities and this almond shortbread recipe was just that.  I couldn’t help but add a good helping of lemon zest to the shortbread batter as well as handful of flaked almonds, the lemon zest created a beautiful flavour that worked harmoniously with the lemon cream pots and the almonds provided just a little texture to the biscuit that contrasted the pots creaminess beautifully.  With a helping of fresh raspberries dessert perfection was achieved.    Enjoy, K xxx

Lemon Cream Pots

Adapted from ‘The Best of Annabel Langbein’ written by Annabel Langbein

INGREDIENTS

600ml cream
8 tbsp honey
50g sugar
100ml lemon juice, strained
fresh raspberries

METHOD

Place the cream, honey and sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat.  Boil, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.  Reduce the heat and simmer for three minutes.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.   Strain the lemon cream through a sieve into six to eight ramekins or cups and chill until set, approximately 4 hours.  Serves 4-6. 

Almond Shortbread

Adapted from Australian Gourmet Traveller

INGREDIENTS

300 gm softened butter

110 gm pure icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean

Finely grated rind of ½ orange

1 egg yolk

2 cups plain flour, sieved

¾ tsp baking powder, sieved

100 gm blanched almonds, finely chopped

METHOD

Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale, add vanilla, orange rind and yolk, beat to combine. Fold through flour, baking powder and almonds, then roll between two sheets of baking paper to 1cm thick and refrigerate until firm (30 minutes).  Preheat oven to 160C. Cut 4.5cm-diameter rounds from pastry with a cutter (re-roll scraps and repeat) and place on two oven trays lined with baking paper. Bake until light golden approximately 15 minutes.  Cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Dust with icing sugar before serving.