Zona Lorig's Family Lemon Cups

Lunch by the pool was a perfect venue for good friends to enjoy the weather and conversation. Thanks to Zona Lorig for serving these Lemon Cups.

Joan Robinson and Zona enjoying Lemon Cups

Zona writes, “There’s a surprise lemon sauce under the golden cake topping. The original recipe came from the 1953 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. My grandmother, Edith Davis, loved this recipe and so did the Houston Davis family.”

Lemon Cups

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup sifted flour
Dash salt
2 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups milk, scalded
3 beaten egg yolks

3 stiff-beaten egg whites

Directions:
Combine sugar, flour, salt and butter.

Add lemon peel and juice.

Slowly stir milk into beaten egg yolks.
Add to the first mixture.

Fold in egg whites and pour into ungreased custard cups, filling 2/3 full or pour into 2 quart glass casserole dish.

Set custard cups or casserole in a shallow pan, filling pan to 1 inch with water. Bake in slow oven (325 degrees) for 45 minutes or til the sponge cake (atop the sauce) is done.
Serve warm or chilled. Top with fruit.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

Can't beat this lovely sticky caramel pudding recipe turned into a rich and moist cake. Smother it with toffee or caramel sauce for a decadent treat. Everyone who tries it will definitely want seconds.

If you like caramel try the recipe in Tastes & Treasures for Caramel Custard Flan found on page 85. The flan recipe was given to the Historical League by historic El Chorro Lodge.

Sticky Caramel Pudding Recipe
Pudding Ingredients:
8 ounces pitted dates, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Pudding Directions:
Spray an 8-inch (20 cm) square metal baking pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped dates, the baking soda and boiling water. Let it stand for about 30 minutes or until it is cooled to room temperature.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Add the brown sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla to the date mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat it for 2 minutes, until blended (the mixture will appear slightly curdled). Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula. Mix again for 15 to 30 seconds until blended.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Set the pan on a wire rack. Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a toothpick. Pour 1/2 cup of the toffee or caramel sauce over the cake. Let it cool in the pan on rack for 10 minutes.

Caramel Sauce Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 3/4 cup whipping (35%) cream, at room temperature 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce Directions:
In a small heavy saucepan, heat granulated sugar, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sugar is a dark caramel-colored liquid. Remove from heat and while whisking, carefully pour in cream.

Stir in the vanilla.

Makes 2 cups 

Tips: When heating, the granulated sugar will change from solid crystals to the consistency of wet sand to light amber liquid to dark liquid.
Make sure the cream is not chilled or it will splatter and seize the sauce.

To serve, cut the cake into squares and serve warm with the remaining sauce.

Store the cooled cake in the refrigerator in a cake keeper, or loosely wrapped in foil or plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. Warm cake, wrapped loosely in foil, in a 350°F oven before serving.
BY cookingnook.com

Lemon Bread Pudding

Cooking classes can be "hands on" at Rancho de la Osa dude ranch in Sasabe. Not only did I use the huge commercial mixer but donned latex gloves for the mixing of bread cubes and egg batter. We spooned them into individual ramekins to make a tangy, sweet dessert that looked like a muffin.
It was fascinating to watch tortillas being made. Experience is key to the production of these and nothing beats them warm and fresh off the grill.









Recipe from Rancho de la Osa cookbook page 80.
Lemon Bread Pudding
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds croissants or brioche torn into one inch pieces
3 cups milk
3 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons lemon zest
9 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups white sugar
3 oz fresh lemon juice

Directions
Scald milk and cream with lemon zest. Meanwhile, beat together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Temper hot cream into egg mix.
Toss with diced bread. Soak until liquid has absorbed, about one hour.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Scoop mixture into a large ceramic baking dish (about 3 quart size).
Place dish into a pan filled with hot water to form a water bath.
Bake covered, 45 minutes.
Remove cover and raise heat to 350 degrees for 15 minutes to crisp the top. Cool slightly and cut bread, putting into squares. Serve hot with warm Lemon Sauce.
Note: We put them into individual ramikens.

Lemon Sauce
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons melted butter
Beat together eggs and sugar. Add lemon juice and zest, then add melted butter. Cook all together over a double boiler till thickened. If sauce gets too thick, whisk in a little water to thin it to pouring consistency.