Lemon Charlottes And Lemon Curd Recipes

Steps:

• This step (candied lemon peel and syrup) can be prepared up to 3 days ahead.
• To make your candied lemon peel, line any small baking sheet with aluminium foi.
• Using your vegetable peeler, remove the peel from your lemons in long strips, making sure you DO NOT remove the white portion as well, only the yellow.
• Place the peel in a small saucepan, and just cover the peel with cold water.
• Bring to a boil, then drain.
• Repeating blanching process 2 more times in the same manner as stated above.
• Take your lemon peel, and cut into 1/8 inch wide strips.
• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.
• Boil gently for 5 mins, and then add lemon peel.
• Simmer until peel is translucent (this will take approx 15 mins).
• Using a slotted spoon (DO NOT THROW AWAY THE SYRUP), transfer your peel to aluminum covered pan and sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the peels and toss to coat completely.
• Allow these to dry at room temp for 2 hours.
• Transfer peels to an airtight container and store at room temperature.
• Pour the syrup into a bowl, cover and chill.
• For your Lemon Curd.
• This step should be done the day before.
• In the top portion of a double boiler over barely simmering water (ie: the water SHOULD NOT touch the top)Whisk your egg yolks, whole eggs, sugar, lemon juice and salt to blend.
• Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and instant-read thermometer reads 160F (this should take approximately 6 mins).
• Now transfer mixture to a glass bowl, wrap in plastic wrap so that the plastic is touching the surface of the mixture, and refrigerate overnight.
• Take a portion (NOT ALL) of your candied lemon peel and finely chop enough to measure 1/4 cup.
• Place this in a small bowl and mix in 1/2 cup of lemon curd.
• Cover and chill.
• Beat whipping cream in a large bowl until speaks form.
• Fold 1 cup of whipped cream into the remaining lemon curd, cover and chill mixture.
• Cover remaining whipped cream and chill.
• Now, line six 3/4-cup souffle dishes (2 inches in dia with 1 1/2 inch-high sides) with plastic wrap, allowing 3 inch overhang.
• Take your ladyfingers and cut them into 2 inch lengths, keeping the ends for later.
• Stand 7 ladyfinger pieces upright, side by side, rounded side out, around the inside rim of each souffle dish.
• Place reserved end pices of ladyfingers in the bottom of each souffle dish, making sure to cover completely.
• Take out your chilled syrup, and brush ladyfingers lightly with this syrup.
• Spoon 1/4 cup lemon/whipped cream mixture into the center of each dish, and then genty spread a heaping tablespoon of lemon curd/peel mixture over the top of each.
• Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, and up to 1 day ahead.
• Now that they have chilled for a length of time, remove the charlottes from the souffle dishes by using the plastic wrap to lift up.
• Carefully remove the plastic wrap.
• Place charlottes on plates.
• Spoon reserved whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with medium star tip(or be creative and use any kind of bag you can cut the tip off of for a less fancy but workable approach!) and pipe whipped cream rosette atop each charlotte.
• Sprinkle each with candied lemon and serve immediately.