Warm Lemon Sponge

Recipe courtesy of Anna Olson

Lemon Curd

⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 eggs

1 egg yolk

½ cup sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Lemon Sponge

3 eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

Lemon Curd:

1) Whisk together lemon juice, eggs and yolk, and sugar. Whisk in butter and add lemon zest. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk steadily, but gently, until curd becomes thick and pale and creamy, about 10-15 minutes.

2) Remove from heat and chill until ready to use. Cover with saran wrap, putting the saran wrap right on the curd.

Lemon Sponge:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F.

2) Grease and sugar 6 6-oz ramekins, and place a disc of parchment paper at the bottom of each ramekin.

3) Warm eggs in their own shell by placing them in a bowl of hot tap water for a couple of minutes. Whip eggs and sugar in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until very pale and airy, about 10-15 minutes.

4) Sift together dry ingredients.

5) Combine butter, vanilla, zest and juice and set aside.

6) Reduce speed on mixer to low and add dry ingredients quickly but not all at once, until almost blended. Add butter mixture, and mix just until blended.

7) Spoon cake mixture evenly between ramekins, leaving ½ inch at the top for expansion. Spoon a generous dollop of lemon curd into the center of each cake. There is no need to press it in as it will sink a little during baking.

8) Bake for 20-25 minutes until cake is golden brown and springs back when you touch it.

To Assemble:

1) Warm from the oven, turn cake out onto a plate (you can serve it right side up or upside down). Dust top with icing sugar and serve with a piped bit of chilled lemon curd beside it. Blueberries and blackberries make a great garnish.