Yotam's SWEET has another winner: Lemon and Raspberry Cupcakes

M

marilynfl

Moderator
If I gave the almond teacakes a 95, I'd score these at 85-90.

Had an issue where there is too much batter per cupcake so it bakes onto the rim of the pan. I had to trim each one with a cookie cutter so they would look as pretty as the picture in the book, because they do bake flat.

And they do look pretty. If I knew how to get a photo from my phone to you, I'd show you.

I also skipped the lemon curd step and used my own homemade (from Rose Beranbaum's recipe).

This one is all flour, so it's isn't quite as tender as the teacake, but it holds up to the raspberry. Just not sure how long it was stay fresh. The almond cake lasted days with no degrading.

And there was my last issue: the organic fresh raspberries that I bought were SO SOUR that my eyes actually watered. I was worried they would ruin the cake so I sprinkled a few packets of Splenda on them before they were mixed into the batter. I wanted to use regular sugar, but was worried that would cause them to break down, like sugar does with strawberries. Also also, these were HUGE and that may be why I had far more batter than Yotam says, since he was spot on with the teacakes. Next time I'll just portion out 14 cupcakes or simply fill each only to top of liner. Mine were mounded a full inch above the rim.

These would be lovely for Valentine's Day but I had a different purpose in mind. I had asked the local library if I could renew the book since it was limited to 14 days. The lead librarian pointed to the cover and said "ONLY IF YOU MAKE THAT" and walked away from me. I said OK and the other librarian said "let me see if there are any reservation." There weren't so she was able to renew the book and I pointed to the raspberry cupcakes photo saying I was thinking of making these next.

Today I walked into the library, took a XEROX of the book cover to highlight the recipe and--walking past Miss Snooty Librarian--handed a tray with 8 cupcakes to Miss Kind and Helpful Librarian, saying only "As promised."

Guess who scurried right over and took the tray away from me?

Yep.

 
Lemon and Raspberry Cupcakes from SWEET by Ottolenghi & Goh

Lemon Curd:
1 large egg + 2 yolks
6 TBL fresh lemon juice (zest for cake first)
1/2 C + 1 TBL sugar (90 grams)
5 TBL + 1 tsp butter

Instructions for lemon curd from Ina Garten because I'm too lazy to keep typing.

Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

Use 1 cup for icing
I used 1 cup of my own.

Cupcakes
1/2 C + 1 TBL (125 g) butter
zest of 2 lemons
1 C + 2 TBL sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 C sour cream
1 1/4 C (160 g) flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1.25 C fresh raspberries (150 g) + 12 for topping

Icing:
1 C lemon curd
1.25 C (300 g) mascarpone

Preheat oven to 375.
Line 12 cupcake tins.

Beat butter, zest & sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy.
Add eggs on at a time
Add sour cream.
Sift dry ingredients over batter and mix for 20 seconds or until incorporated.
Add raspberries and only mix until raspberries are rippled throughout.

Divide into cupcake liners ("they should be nearly full" quoteth Yotam). Bake 22 minutes. Cool completely

Icing.
Mix curd and mascarpone together.

Ice cupcakes, add a single raspberry to top and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Marilyn's Note: My container of mascarpone was only 224 grams and my 8 oz jar of curd was filled to the brim so probably more than 8 oz. Still tasted great.

Like I mentioned earlier, I had too much batter for 12 cupliners. Only fill to the top for the 12 and make a few more.

 
Thanks, Traca. GayR linked the current errata when I posted the teacake recipe.

I checked that before baking these and it is not listed. I did test one several days after baking and as I suspected, it wasn't as fresh as the teacake. Flour versus ground nuts....no contest there.

On Saturday, I made his rugelach. Along with the ever present vanilla bean seeds ($7 a piece: I think not), this recipe included yet another expensive ingredient: Quince paste which cost $6.99 for a tiny package what wasn't even enough for the whole recipe. This is the part that killed me: the majority of the fruity filling oozed out of the cookies and baked to a--at first, rubbery--and then rock hard sugary substance. That just wasted most of $6.99!

Now I've made rugelach for YEARS and usually use apricot or other fruit jams. I've never lost that much filling, so it had to be the quince. In fact, I used my cherry/apricot/hazelnut paste for some of them and it didn't ooze.

Won't be buying this book until issues are resolved. I wanted to try a few cakes, but the almond meal ($14.99 for 10 oz), the raspberries ($4.99 x 2 cartons) and the quince paste are making me stop for a while.

On the other hand, I'm making a chocolate stout cake from OVENLY. Hope it turns out.

http://crownpublishing.com/sweetupdate

 
Lemon Curd made with Yolk only or with whole eggs?

would love to know your thoughts about both (taste different? different mouthfeel?

I think curds made with hold eggs are more stable/thicker but could be wrong.

Thanks in advance!

 
Deb, I have three different recipes: 2 whole + 2 yolks, 4 whole, and Rosie's which uses

7 egg yolks only.

I used to cook it on the stovetop and varied between the first two recipes. Then I made Rosie's recipe with 7 yolks for a lemon tiramisu and really liked that one. It is the deepest yellow curd I've ever made and truly one of the best.

Then I found I could make it in the Vitamix and just check the temperature with my Thermapen. I whirl it until it reaches 180-185 and the texture is a bit different, slightly lighter in color. Still very good.

THEN Traca posted Lemon Creme (Cream?) where the butter isn't added until the temperature drops to 140 so it emulsifies. I haven't looked back since then. I actually don't use as much butter as called for in the lemon cream recipe; just the amount for regular curd. But I love the texture and it seems to last for at least a month with no degrading,

After that, a little water collects at the very bottom so I'm just careful not to tip it out of the jar (if, say, using it for a pie filling).

My new neighbors have 5 chickens and I'm gifted with a dozen eggs almost every week. That's why I go with Rosie's,

 
Ingredients for Rosie's All-Yolk Lemon Curd

1 TBL lemon zest (6 grams)
7 yolks (130 g)
8 oz sugar (225 grams)
6 TBL butter (85 grams)
1/2 C + 1 TBL lemon juice (141 grams)
Pinch salt

 
And here is Dorie, giving Pierre Herme's Lemon Cream steps. Note: I don't do this

I only care about two important steps: get the zest/eggs/sugar/lemon mix up to 185 using Vitamix.

Cool to 140 before adding butter. I really sped this up by dumping the mix into a long flat plastic container and moving it around my COLD granite countertop. Seriously. Stir. Move 6 inches. Stir. Move 6 inches.

I dropped it from 185 to 135 in less than 5 minutes. The first time I left it in the Vitamix and had to wait almost an hour for it to cool down.

PHYSICS! You've got to love it.

Also, read the steps from Serious Eats. Then read mine. I'm' a lazy two step kind of gal.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/04/lemon-lemon-lemon-cream-recipe.html

 
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