Lemon Delicious

Not much was new today.  I decided not to run so that I could put away washing instead (exciting, huh).  I bashed my wrist so typing and just general movement is awkward (hello, delete).  I did get to see a niece and nephew and their parents (deep sigh of satisfaction...) and I went to the gym between morning students.  Thank goodness for new recipes.

Lemon delicious is something that takes me back to childhood and my grandparents.  My grandma made a beautiful lemon delicious.  I have made citrus delicious and sticky lemon pudding, but never before actual lemon delicious - this recipe is from the fruit cookbook I bought recently (also the source of fruit and cinnamon muffins, and date and cinnamon squares).

Preheat the oven to 180C; grease a 1.25L ovenproof ceramic dish.  (I found the oven was preheated before I'd got to the egg stage - maybe I was having a slow cooking day).

Using an electric beater, beat 60g unsalted butter, 3/4 cup (185g) sugar and 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest in a bowl until pale and fluffy.  Gradually add 3 egg yolks, beating well after each addition.  Fold in 1/4 cup self-raising flour and 3/4 cup milk alternately to make a smooth, thin batter.  Stir in 1/4 cup lemon juice (I had a super-juicy lemon, and just one provided more than enough juice).

Whisk 3 egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form.  With a large metal spoon, fold a third of the egg white into the batter to loosen (not sure what they mean by that).  Gently fold in the remaining egg white, being careful not to overmix.

Pour batter into the prepared dish and place in a large roasting tin.  Pour enough hot water into the tin to come a third of the way up the side of the dish.  Bake for 55 minutes (took an hour here) until the pudding has risen and the top is golden and firm to touch.  Leave for 5 minutes before serving.  Dust with icing sugar and serve with cream (or, you know, ice cream or quark if you have nothing else!).

My house now smells of lemon and baking and childhood.  Lovely.

Today's photo:

In December, I babysat my niece and we made biscuits.  We made some more today - except they were the end of a batch I made a couple of weeks ago and froze.  Defrost, heat oven, roll (tiny) bits into balls ("I did it! I did it!"), put on trays, bake for 10 minutes.  Take photo of finished product while it cools.  Eat biscuits, and pack some to take for later.

Daily Photos Catch Up

Since promising to take a photo a day, I have been very slack in posting a photo a day.  I've still been taking them, I just forget to upload...  So here are the last 8.  Yikes!

Monday, June 18.  This agave plant is one of many on a nearby street.  I have thought about photographing them on several occasions, so I'm glad I had an excuse.

Tuesday, June 19.  A street near the school at which I teach.  Seeing this tree change over the year is a great joy.

Wednesday, June 20.  These fluff-balls are right by the footpath at home.

Thursday, June 21.  Fete de la Musique, and I was the contact for St John's cathedral.  Most people don't see the wonderful light show that happens in the cathedral - between about 11 and 3 the stained glass produces these wonders.  I hadn't seen this kaleidoscope effect before.

Friday, June 22.  Sunlight in the courtyard catching this new aloe vera flower.

Saturday, June 23.  This is a great guard dog.  Seriously.  When I returned from my run on Saturday, Gracie was mostly inside but with her head outside, keeping tabs on the goings-on outside.

Sunday, June 24.  I had less than an hour at home during the day, in which I ate lunch.  After calling Gracie back from barking at a passing neighbourhood dog - and she came, too - I gave her a little treat.  She stayed for more.  I caved.

Monday, June 25.  After running a practice half marathon on Monday, the weather was quite cool and overcast.  Perfect practice weather.  Standing under the light, the light and shadow visible through the f-holes was striking.

Tuesday, June 26.  A sneak peek of tomorrow's post...  Growing up, my favourite food was green apples.  Apples, generally, but I remember a few bad experiences with red apples so I preferred green for a long time.  Whenever my mum was cooking with apples, I'd hang around for the peel.  An all-in-one peel was a bonus.  When visiting my grandparents, my grandfather (who was born in Scotland) told me that, if you peeled an apple or orange with an unbroken peel, you should throw it with your right hand over your left shoulder (preferably with your back to the fireplace), and the letter it most closely resembled would be the initial of the person you would marry.  (Not surprisingly, 'S' was a common result).  Similarly, twist an apple stalk going through the alphabet and the initial on which it breaks off is the initial of your future spouse.  This is a habit I still have.  Anyway, tonight I managed two unbroken apple peels.