Lemony Bastard Recipes

MARGARET ATWOOD'S BAKED LEMON CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and lemon peel in large bowl to blend. Beat in egg yolks. Stir in flour in three additions alternately with buttermilk in two additions. Stir in lemon juice. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into yolk mixture. Divide batter among prepared cups. Place ramekins in roasting pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of cups.
• Bake until cakes are set in center and beginning to brown, about 35 minutes. Remove ramekins from water bath. Serve hot or cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate.)

LEMON CUSTARD TARTS

Steps:

• Pate Sucree Extra:Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. In a liquid-measuring cup, whisk together ice water and egg yolks. With machine running, add egg-yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky, about 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together; if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and divide in half. Shape each half into a disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Divide one disk into 6 equal pieces (reserve remaining disk for another use). On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a ball and flatten into a 6-inch round with a rolling pin. Using your fingers, press rounds into bottom and up sides of six 4-inch round tart pans. Trim edges and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line each tart shell with parchment, pressing it into corners and edges, then fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until sides are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove parchment and beans. Continue baking until bottoms are cooked through and lightly golden, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely.
• Filling:Whisk together condensed milk and egg yolks until thoroughly combined. Whisk in lemon juice. Divide filling among tart shells. Bake until filling is set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled.
• Italian Meringue:In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil. Continue boiling until a candy thermometer registers 238 to 240 degrees (soft-ball stage). Meanwhile, in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until stiff (but not dry) peaks form (do not overbeat). Increase speed to high and add sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream, beating until mixture stops steaming, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip; pipe as desired. Using a small kitchen torch held at a 90-degree angle, move flame back and forth 3 inches from surface of meringue until it starts to brown (or broil 6 to 8 inches from heat source, about 1 minute). Serve immediately.

NO-BAKE LEMON CUSTARDS WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine cream, sugar, lemon zest and salt over medium-high heat. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. Simmer vigorously until mixture thickens slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let sit until mixture has cooled slightly and a skin forms on top, about 20 minutes.
• Stir mixture, then strain through fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup with a spout; discard zest. Pour mixture evenly into six 6-ounce ramekins or small bowls.
• Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least 3 hours.
• As the custards chill, prepare the strawberry topping: Toss strawberries and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Let fruit macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the sugar is dissolved.
• To serve, top each lemon custard with some strawberry topping and grind black pepper on top.

CREAMY, LEMONY PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil, and cook until just shy of al dente, 2 to 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta, then return to the pot on the stove over medium-low heat.
• Stir in ¾ cup of the pasta water, half the lemon juice, the Parmesan and several grinds of black pepper, stirring vigorously until a silky sauce has formed. Add a tablespoon of water at a time as needed to make a creamier sauce if it looks dry. Stir in the labneh, remaining lemon juice, lemon zest and scallions until creamy and combined, about 1 minute more. Season with salt as needed. Finish with another grind of pepper and serve immediately.