One of my favorite flavors is Lemon. I just adore Lemon anything . . . cookies, puddings, pies, cakes . . . if it's lemon I am in taste heaven!
I love chocolate too, but when push comes to shove if I had to choose between the two, I think lemon would win every time!
That's why I am really excited to show you this recipe here today for Lemon Meringue Cake. This is a recipe I clipped out of a magazine many years ago and it is a real family favorite.
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
What you have here is a lovely buttery sponge cake bottom, topped with a lucious tart lemon filling The cake is iced with a sweet meringue and toasted in the oven.
It looks just like the pie, but it's not the pie. Its a cake. A lovely delicious Lemon Meringue Cake.
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
It tastes much like the pie actually except that there is no crust involved. Instead the cake provides a rich delicious base for the lemon custard filling.
The flavor of fresh lemon shines throughout. Both in the cake and in that rich filling. It truly is something special.
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
It had been years since I baked one and with us having my sister's birthday celebration today and with lemon being a family favorite, I decided to bake one for us to enjoy after our roast chicken dinner.
I can't wait to bring it out for everyone to dig into. I sure hope they leave room for dessert! If they don't, they will wish they had, and they might even over-indulge anyways because this cake is pretty difficult to resist!
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A LEMON MERINGUE CAKE
Its pretty simple really. Just every day ordinary ingredients. No blow torch, no special pans, just one 9 inch cake pan, a saucepan to make the filling and simple ingredients.
For the cake:
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) finely granulated sugar
- 1 whole large free range egg, plus 2 large free range egg yolks (Save whites for meringue topping)
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp lemon extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
For the lemon filling:
- 2 large free range egg yolks (save whites for meringue topping)
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- 3/4 cup (150g) finely granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (47g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 TBS butter
For the meringue topping:
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup (100g) finely granulated sugar
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
There is no need to have any kind of specialized equipment. A hand mixer will get the job done and a 9-inch round cake tin, that's all.
I use salted butter and whole milk. Large free range eggs. Good quality lemon and vanilla extracts. Ordinary plain fresh lemons.
The fanciest I get is the use of a micro-plane grater to zest the lemon. It gets the zest to the perfect size without involving any of the bitter white pith!
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
HOW TO MAKE LEMON MERINGUE CAKE
Again, this is very simple to make and there is no reason why you can't have equal success in making this yourself.
Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolks.
Sift together the flour and baking powder and then beat into the creamed mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in the vanilla and lemon essences, mixing in well.
Butter and flour a nine inch round cake tin. Pour in the batter, level off and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let sit in the pan for five minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
You can make the filling while the cake layer is baking. For the filling combine the flour and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Mix together the lemon juice, water and egg yolks and then stir into the flour/sugar mixture along with the lemon zest.
Place over simmering water and cook, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool five minutes, then stir in the butter until melted. Set aside until cool.
Place the cake layer on a plate (one that can handle some heat) and spread the lemon filling over top.
Beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar until the mixture begins to turn foamy, then continue to beat slowly adding the sugar until mixture is stiff, but not dry. Spread over the sides and top of the cake.
Place in a 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4 oven and bake until the meringue browns. (10 to 15 minutes) (I put the cake on the oven proof plate on a baking tray for easy of moving it in and out of the oven.)
Remove from oven and cool completely. Serve at room temperature, cutting slices with a wet knife. This helps to prevent the meringue from tearing as you cut it.
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
One tip I have about making meringue is to separate your eggs, one at a time, placing the whites into a separate bowl. Do this with each egg before adding the white to the other whites. That way if you somehow get some yolk into the egg white, you can either remove it safely, or discard the white without contaminating all of your egg whites.
Its a simple fact, whites with any yolk or fat added to them at all will not whisk up in the way that they should. That is also why you need to use scrupulously clean beaters. So make sure your beaters have been washed and dried before you start beating the egg whites.
.JPG "Lemon Meringue Cake")
This really is a delicious cake and a wonderful surprise to anyone who might be lucky enough to have you serve it to them! They are sure to love it.
If you are as crazy about lemon desserts as I am you might also enjoy the following:
SUGAR FREE LEMON PUDDING CAKE - If you are avoiding sugar and carbs, this is the perfect dessert for you. You have all of the beautiful flavors without any sugar or flour, or other things to cause you problems. And its delicious.
LEMON BUTTERMILK CAKE - With its full on lemon flavors, moist dense cake and impossibly delicious glaze, this is a cake that never fails to please.
LEMON BARS - Sweet shortbread cookie base. Tart lemon curd filling/topping. There is nothing about these that isn't moreish. Nothing.
Lemon Meringue Cake
Yield: make one 9-inch cake
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 55 Min
All the pleasures of a Lemon Meringue Pie, in cake form. Delicious!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) finely granulated sugar
- 1 whole large free range egg, plus 2 large free range egg yolks (Save whites for meringue topping)
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp lemon extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the lemon filling:
- 2 large free range egg yolks (save whites for meringue topping)
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- 3/4 cup (150g) finely granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (47g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 TBS butter
For the meringue topping:
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup (100g) finely granulated sugar .
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolks.
- Sift together the flour and baking powder and then beat into the creamed mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in the vanilla and lemon essences, mixing in well.
- Butter and flour a nine inch round cake tin. Pour in the batter, level off and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let sit in the pan for five minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- For the filling combine the flour and sugar in the top of a double boiler.
- Mix together the lemon juice, water and egg yolks and then stir into the flour/sugar mixture along with the lemon zest.
- Place over simmering water and cook, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool five minutes, then stir in the butter until melted. Set aside until cool.
- Place the cake layer on a plate (one that can handle some heat) and spread the lemon filling over.
- Beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar until the mixture begins to turn foamy, then continue to beat slowly adding the sugar until mixture is stiff, but not dry.
- Spread over the sides and top of the cake. Place in a 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4 oven and bake until the meringue browns. (10 to 15 minutes)
- Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Serve at room temperature, cutting slices with a wet knife. This helps to prevent the meringue from tearing as you cut it.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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Today would have been my mother's 90th birthday. Oh how we miss her. I wanted to bake something deliciously old fashioned in honor of her on this day.
My sister will be coming over later for a belated birthday celebration in my sister's honor, so I thought I would bake some cookies that would help to inject my mother's presence into some of the festivities.
I didn't just want any old cookie either. I wanted big soft molasses cookies, just like the old fashioned soft molasses cookies my grandmother would bake for me when I was little.
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
Mom made the best molasses cookies, using a recipe which had been my grandmother's recipe. The original recipe was for a rolled out cookie. You can find that one here.
This version I am sharing today is a drop cookie, and is a lot easier than the rolled out version. You simply mix everything in a bowl and then drop onto the baking sheets in mounds.
It is a soft and delicious cookie. The use of sour cream helps to make them really moist. You can enjoy them plain or you can enjoy them frosted. It is up to you!
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
This old fashioned recipe comes from the days when people didn't write their recipes down, or if they did, they didn't write instructions. Most recipes were simply a list of ingredients. They took it for granted that people would know what to do.
Some of those old recipes might not even give you the full measure of the ingredients either. They will say add enough flour to give you a stiff dough, etc.
That doesn't mean that they are not great recipes (most of them are excellent). It just means you really need to know your apples from your oranges if you are going to use them!
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GRANDMOTHER'S SOFT MOLASSES COOKIES
Grandmother never used anything out of the ordinary. Everything she cooked was made from wholesome simple, common, ordinary ingredients. A lot of them were produced right on their farm.
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (90.5g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (110g) solid white shortening (Crisco or Trex in the UK)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) molasses
- 1 large free range egg
- 3 cups (420g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
The sour cream in these makes them lovely and soft and moist. You could also use plain yogurt in the place of the sour cream.
Do not be tempted to use all butter instead of the mix of butter and shortening. If you use all butter they will spread out and be flat. The shortening is what keeps them light and fluffy.
I know that in the UK, molasses can be hard to come by. You can use an equal amount of dark treacle and golden syrup mixed together, half and half. It works and tastes the same.
Dark treacle on its own has far too strong a flavor.
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
HOW TO MAKE GRANDMOTHER'S SOFT MOLASSES DROP COOKIES
You can use a wooden spoon (grandmother's way), an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer to make these.
Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 4. Have ready several large baking sheets. No need to butter.
Beat the sugar, sour cream, butter, shortening, molasses and egg together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed. (Or use a spoon.)
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed ingredients, combining well.
Drop by heaped TBS onto the cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until set. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then scoop off onto wire cooking racks to cool completely.
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
If desired you can frost these with your favorite vanilla butter cream icing. If freezing do not frost before freezing. Store in an airtight container.
To make a simple buttercream icing, beat together 1/3 cup (80g) soft butter with 3 cups of icing sugar, a pinch of salt, a few drops of vanilla and enough milk to give you the right consistency (about 2 - 3 TBS). Beat only until light and fluffy and smooth.
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
Whilst these cookies freeze really well, you don't want to frost them before freezing. To freeze place into an airtight container with pieces of wax paper between the layers.
They stay lovely and soft for a few days, if stores in an airtight container and go beautifully with glasses of ice cold milk or hot cups of tea.
You can dress them up by adding/stirring in raisins, or currants, or chopped bits of candied ginger. Milk chocolate chips are also nice in these.
I usually just keep them plain however because that is the way we enjoy them most of all.
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
I had been hoping to see some of my grandsons this week coming up, but their dad is sick now with a really bad cold and they have put their travel plans on hold. Thank goodness it is not Covid, but knowing the way these things go, it will probably make its way through their whole family.
I hope he is feeling much better soon.
I thought the boys would enjoy these cookies, but never mind. They can enjoy them another time! That's the beauty of being able to freeze things like this!
.JPG "Soft Molasses Drop Cookies")
CINNAMON, PRUNE & TOASTED WALNUT COOKIES - The simple batter for these is composed of a mix of butter and cream cheese beaten together with soft light brown sugar. Nice and creamy. A large egg is beaten into that mix, and then a mixture of self raising flour, salt and wheat germ . . . for a bit of goodness . . . and plenty of cinnamon. Diced prunes and toasted walnuts add to the goodness of these lovely cookies.
COCONUT LIME OATMEAL COOKIES - I can honestly say that I have never met an oatmeal cookie that I did not fall in love with. Crisp oatmeal cookies. Soft oatmeal cookies. It makes no difference. I love them all. This delicious version is a cross between the two, with crisp buttery edges, and a soft chewy middle. Made even more so from the use of brown sugar.
SOFT AND CHEWY JAM AND SUGAR COOKIES - Lovely soft and chewy sugar cookies with your favourite jam centre. I have used raspberry but any jam will do, or even a mix of jams! Quick, easy and delicious with no need for rolling out or refrigerating the dough ahead of time.
Soft Molasses Drop Cookies
Yield: 4 dozen
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 11 MinTotal time: 21 Min
My grandmother's delicious drop molasses cookies. You can frost them with a simple vanilla buttercream icing if you wish, but they are pretty darned good just as they are. These freeze beautifully unfrosted. They are wonderful with a hot cuppa or a tall glass of cold milk.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (90.5g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (110g) solid white shortening (Crisco or Trex in the UK)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) molasses
- 1 large free range egg
- 3 cups (420g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 4. Have ready several large baking sheets. No need to butter.
- Beat the sugar, sour cream, butter, shortening, molasses and egg together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed. (Or use a spoon.)
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed ingredients, combining well.
- Drop by heaped TBS onto the cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until set. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then scoop off onto wire cooking racks to cool completely.
Notes
If desired you can frost these with your favorite vanilla butter cream icing. If freezing do not frost before freezing. Store in an airtight container.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!!
I hate waste. I always try to use up everything that I have in the house. Its become even more difficult now that there is only myself in the house. I wish that here in North America they were better at making smaller servings of things.
That was not a problem in the UK. I know that smaller items usually cost more in the long run, but if you end up throwing half of what you make away, how much are you really saving. I would rather be able to buy a smaller amount and then not have to throw anything away because it doesn't get used up.
I am usually pretty good at using my leftovers up however, especially when it comes to meat and poultry. I can always whip up a delicious casserole or some such with them.
Today I took advantage of having some leftover pulled pork from earlier in the week and made myself some BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos, for two.
You don't necessarily have to have leftover pulled pork to make these however. It is quite common here in North American to be able to buy already pulled pork, vacuum sealed at the grocery store. I have made these that way quite a few times.
For the smaller family such as myself, these vacuum packs of cooked meats are a great economy. I don't have to cook a whole roast and they are often on offer. I have found them to be quite delicious as well.
This is the brand I usually buy. They have all sorts of main dish meats, each package containing about 3 servings.
They have cooked brisket, pot roast, turkey, pork, etc. I have found them to be quite good, reasonably priced and suitable for the smaller family.
Anyways, I love Mexican food, especially nachos, and finding myself with a quantity of leftover pulled pork to use up I thought I would make myself some nachos for my lunch.
The first time I ever had nachos was in a Mexican restaurant in London, Ontario. Then one time when we were visiting my sister and her family (again in London, Ontario) she made nachos for supper and it was love at first bite.
I don't know why, but at that point I had never thought of making them at home. DUH!
Be you one or a crowd, nachos make a fabulously simple, quick and easy supper option. They are also great for game nights, BBQ's and get-togethers! You may even want to throw these together this weekend for the family!
Colorful, packed with delicious flavors and textures, and ready in about half an hour. It doesn't get much better than this! I am giving the quantities for two to three people, but you can very easily multiply this to serve more!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BBQ PULLED NACHOS
Nothing too complicated. It may look like a lot but its just pretty simple ingredients that most of us will have in our veggie bins and cupboards.
For the nachos:
- 3/4 cup prepared pulled pork (about 150g)
- 4 TBS your favorite BBQ sauce, divided
- Restaurant style tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup (65g) grated Mexican blend cheese
- 2 TBS chopped red onions
- 2 TBS chopped green bell pepper
- 2 TBS chopped orange or yellow bell pepper
- 2 TBS chopped red bell pepper
- 2 TBS cooked sweet corn
- sliced fresh jalapeno or pickled jalapeno bell peppers to garnish (optional)
- chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) to garnish (optional)
.jpg "BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos for Two")
To serve: (all optional)
- dairy sour cream
- guacamole
- tomato salsa
- spicy cheese sauce/dip
- fresh lime wedges for squeezing
I use a Tex Mex cheese blend that you can buy in the stores. It comes in mild or spicy. No two guesses as to which one I use. If you don't have a cheese blend available to you, you can also use grated Jack, cheddar, mozzarella or pepper Jack cheese.
You can use any mix of fresh ingredients that you want to use, aside from the pulled pork. I personally like fresh chopped red onions (for the color) and chopped bell peppers. I had some leftover sweet corn that I also used, but you don't really have to use that if you don't want to.
Black beans are nice as are sliced olives, either green or black, pimento stuffed or not. Pickled jalapenos, or fresh. Fresh coriander (cilantro) or whatever you happen to like on your nachos. This is a recipe which is completely customizable!
HOW TO MAKE BBQ PULLED PORK NACHOS FOR TWO
Nothing could really be easier. Once you decided what you want to put on them, you just start layering them and pop them into the oven for a quick heat through and melt! You don't really want to cook your onions and peppers. Its nicer if they stay crunchy!
You can use either a small sheet pan for these or a cast iron skillet. Today I used a cast iron skillet. The method is the same for both.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. If you are using a sheet pan, line it with some baking paper for ease in clean up.
Toss the pulled pork together with half of the BBQ Sauce. Place a thick layer of tortilla chips on the sheet pan or in the skillet. Top with the pulled pork.
Place a thick layer of tortilla chips on the sheet pan or in the skillet. Top with the pulled pork. Sprinkle the cheese over the pork and then sprinkle with the chopped onions, corn, and bell peppers.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until everything has heated through and the cheese has melted.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining BBQ sauce. Scatter the sliced jalapenos and chopped coriander over top if using. Serve hot with lime wedges and your favorite additions.
During the summer months I like to prepare suppers that are quick and easy, designed to get me in and out of the kitchen as quickly and as easily as possible. I am sure you are the same. Some other easy supper options that I can recommend are:
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH A SUMMER BERRY SALSA - Marinated and grilled chicken breasts. Moist and tender and served with a fresh and zesty fresh berry and avocado salsa. Deliciously simple!
CRISPY TORTILLA EGGS - These are so delicious that I once made them twice in one week. They are great for breakfast, but they also make a fabulously quick and tasty supper as well!
QUICK AND EASY BAKED CHICKEN TACOS - Using leftover cooked chicken, these are very quick to throw together. You can have them made, baked and on the table in about 20 minutes, ready to enjoy. Not only are they quick and easy, but they are also very delicious!
PERFECT EGG AND CHIPS - Simple, yes, but proof positive that sometimes simple can be very, very good. You can use oven chips if you wish, and I often do. They cook up really quickly in the air fryer. Nice and crisp. You can be cooking them while you fry up the eggs. Soft fresh bread and butter are a must on the side!
BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos for Two
Yield: 2 - 3
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 40 Min
These make a fabulous week night supper or appetizer when you are having people over, or for game nights. I use a ready made pulled pork that I buy at the grocery shop for convenience, but you can use leftover pulled pork if you wish.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup prepared pulled pork (about 150g)
- 4 TBS your favorite BBQ sauce, divided
- Restaurant style tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup (65g) grated Mexican blend cheese
- 2 TBS chopped red onions
- 2 TBS chopped green bell pepper
- 2 TBS chopped orange or yellow bell pepper
- 2 TBS chopped red bell pepper
- 2 TBS cooked sweet corn
- sliced fresh jalapeno or pickled jalapeno bell peppers to garnish (optional)
- chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) to garnish (optional)
To serve: (all optional)
- dairy sour cream
- guacamole
- tomato salsa
- spicy cheese sauce/dip
- fresh lime wedges for squeezing
Instructions
- You can use either a small sheet pan for these or a cast iron skillet. Today I used a cast iron skillet. The method is the same for both.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. If you are using a sheet pan, line it with some baking paper for ease in clean up.
- Toss the pulled pork together with half of the BBQ Sauce.
- Place a thick layer of tortilla chips on the sheet pan or in the skillet. Top with the pulled pork.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the pork and then sprinkle with the chopped onions, corn, and bell peppers.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until everything has heated through and the cheese has melted.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining BBQ sauce. Scatter the sliced jalapenos and chopped coriander over top if using.
- Serve hot with lime wedges and your favorite additions.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!!
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