When life gives you Lemons, continued........

And so the juicy, citrus rush continues..........

It is World Baking Day today..... nothing could smell more like home and bring back comforting  memories than Apple cake served with chantilly cream. This version is my quick and easy recipe which I have been baking for years. It also features lemon zest added to the batter to infuse a delcate lemon tang.

  Since we are celebrating  World Baking Day today, I have included this image of my favourite Apple and Cinnamon muffin flavoured with lemon zest.... I also scatter the lemon zest in the sugar topping for an extra crunch... mmm...

Back to the workbench where dreams are created........

Herewith a quote worth sharing, any crafter will agree!

I am a beadaholic......
If you are a decent person, you will (not) sell me one more bead!!

I have always wanted to create a piece of jewellery on the spur of the moment especially to match an outfit. Well, I found the inspiration I required when I scrolled  through the Vogue newsletter .
Have a look at http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/celebrity-photos


A beautiful gown created by Elie Saab was worn by Fan Bingbing at the Cannes Film Festival....... the gown is a festival of delicate lemon yellow with an embroidered lace bodice and long flowing skirt. Look at the Summer 2013 collection  www.eliesaab.com

 

And so, back to the kitchen for a little more juicy, citrus inspired recipes.

Firstly, if someone offers you a bag of freshly picked lemons, grab it as you will discover endless ways to be creative in the kitchen. My first thought is always creamy, delicate and zesty Lemon Curd.

Herewith a quick, tried and tested recipe:

100g Butter
4 large eggs
Juice from 5 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
100g Castor sugar
2 x 250 ml Glass Jars, sterilised

Melt the butter, gently in a saucepan. Pull off the heat, cool.
When cooled, add the eggs, sugar, juice and lemon zest.
Whisk the mixture over a gentle heat until it becomes thicker and more viscous.
Allow to cool before filling the glass jars.
Refrigerate and enjoy!

For an unbelievable treat, enjoy on top of a layer of cream cheese on a slice of wholewheat toast!


I have discovered many recipes worthy of sharing, so I can see I will be featuring this citrus issue for a while..... until next time!

When life gives you Lemons..........

.....I make Lemon Pudding, as featured before in a previous blog, but worthy of a repeat!

 

 The reason for today's blog is to match this delicate, light , zesty and dreamy lemon pudding with these icy lemon glass beads I happened to be working with at the bead shop, StringBead at Eden on the Bay yesterday. 

These are the icy lemon yellow beads that set my mind off on a lemon pudding run yesterday..... oh what I do for fun! Perhaps simple to some, but creative to me!

I suddenly had a flash and all I could think of was lemon pudding and cream, since I was working with icy, frosted lemon yellow coloured, glass beads and small white glass pearl beads. To top it all the contrasting bead had a wonderful punch of delicate green mint in it!

Well, these colours are also perfectly represented above by the gooseberries and delicate pineapple mint..... I am sure you can see where my inspiration comes from?

 Now we have the ultimate Lemon Pudding, a Jensen family treat!
The memories attached to this pudding come back to life when enjoyed with lashings of cream, the way we were taught  to experience it! Naughty but nice!

The ingredients for this dreamy pudding are simple, like the best things in life.

Lemon zest and juice of 2 Lemons
2 Eggs plus an extra 3 egg whites
1 Cup sugar plus and extra 2 Tablespoons Castor sugar
2 Heaped Tablespoons cornflour mixed with a 1/4 cup cold water
2 Cups boiling water

First combine 2 egg yolks with the cup of sugar, lemon juice and zest as well as the cornflour and water mixture.
Add the boiling water , mix well and bring to the boil in a saucepan. Stir gently until the mixture thickens.
Set aside to cool in a bath of cold water.
Beat all the egg whites until stiff with the castor sugar.
Gently fold the two mixtures together so not to destroy all the air trapped in the egg whites. Do this in two stages to be safe.  
Place in your favourite, festive glass bowl and place in the fridge to set overnight.
Serve with lashings of cream!
Do not forget to garnish with mint leaves.

Now you have the recipe for the memory and picture in my mind!

Here is a wonderful quote that perhaps only those of us who appreciate how special it is to sit down to a dinner served at a dining room table will appreciate.
"The dining room is possibly the only place in our lives where we still have a sense of ceremony."

 John Saladino.

The ultimate lemon pudding, as only the Jensen girl's know how to make ...... well, maybe some others have also managed it!

I found another fitting quote. According to David Hicks one approaches flower arranging like everything else in design. "There are no sacred rules, no sacred cows; it's all part of your personal style."

So, be creative, free and flexible.....design and create as you wish.
Until next time with some more inspiration to match this juicy, citrus rush!

FLORA TEA........Watch this spectacular flowering tea unfold.

Defenition by FLORA TEA CO UK  Limited.

Flora tea ( flowering teas) are hand tied individual green tea leaves with dried aromatic flowers forming a ball which reveals its secret centre when placed in boiling water - blooming into an artistic and captivating display  with an enriching taste.
For more information go to www.floratea.com

Was that not just like watching an underwater spectacle in a glass mug?
FLORA TEA ...... Taste first with your eyes, feel next with your heart. 

More to come in my next blog........ with a touch of lemon.