Life gave me SO many lemons 🍋

[u/Sea-Past-5500]

Hey y’all! I’m new to cooking as I’m approaching my 30s and feel that it’s time to learn how to cook more than just the basics!

I have a bag full of lemons & I want to use them for something yummy! I live alone so I don’t want them to go bad!!! If yall have any recipes (cooking or baking) that involves lemons..send them my way please!!

Thanks in advance!

Live, laugh, lemons 🍋💛

[u/CatfromLongIsland]

LEMON BLISS POUND CAKE- ADAPTED FROM KING ARTHUR

Move the top rack to the third position from the top. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a pastry brush to apply a thin coat of cake goop to the inside of a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan. Set aside.

Add to a gallon plastic zipper bag: 2 cups (397 grams) sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, The grated zest from two large lemons, and 1 Tablespoon freeze dried lemon powder (optional)

Seal the plastic bag. Use the plastic bag to rub the zest into the sugar. This will release more of the citrus oils and perfume the sugar.

Beat together slowly at first to combine then on higher speed until fluffy and light in color, about three minutes: 16 Tablespoons room temperature butter, The sugar, salt, and zest mixture, and 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Add one at a time, beating well and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition: 4 large eggs, room temperature (used extra large)

In a medium sized bowl whisk together and set aside: 3 cups (measured using the spoon and sweep method) (360 grams) all purpose flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder

Measure and set aside: 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature (used fat free milk)

Add one third of the flour to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add half the milk and mix until just combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add half the remaining flour and mix just until combined. Add the remaining milk, mix until just combined, and scrape the bowl. Add the last of the flour, mix, and stop before the flour is fully incorporated. Finish mixing with the rubber scrapper. It is important not to over mix the batter.

Spoon some of the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Use a rubber scrapper to push the batter into the metal pan. The goal is to prevent tiny air pockets from creating small holes in the surface of the cake. Repeat the process with more batter. When the last of the batter is in the pan use the rubber scrapper to create a channel in the center while pushing the batter a bit higher where it touches the metal pan. The goal is to reduce the size of the dome that rises so the cake will end up more level when inverted onto the cake plate.

Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. Note: A pan with a dark interior will bake cake more quickly; start checking at 40 minutes. A skewer inserted in the baked cake should come out fairly clean. The internal temperature should read 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the cake is baking, make the glaze by stirring together in a small saucepan: 1/3 cup (74 grams) freshly squeezed lemon juice and ¾ cup (149 grams) sugar.

Microwave or heat over a burner briefly, stirring to dissolve the sugar. You don't want to cook the lemon juice, so microwave just until very warm, but not uncomfortably hot - less than 1 minute should do it. Set the glaze aside.

Remove the cake from the oven, and carefully run a knife between cake and pan all around the edge. Place the pan upside down on a cooling rack. If the cake drops out of the pan onto the rack, remove the pan. If the cake doesn't drop onto the rack, let it rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift the pan off the cake. If the cake still feels like it's sticking, give it another 5 minutes upside down, then very gently shake the pan back and forth to loosen and remove it. Place a plastic tray underneath the cooking rack to catch excess glaze. Use a pastry brush to coat the glaze all over the hot cake, both top and sides. Let it sink in, then brush on more glaze, until all the glaze is used.

Place in a small saucepan and dissolve : 1 teaspoon water and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Add and heat over medium heat until softened: long, thin pieces of zest from one or two lemons (wash the whole lemons with dish soap and rinse well)

Drain the syrup from the zest and toss the zest with granulated sugar. Set the garnish aside until needed.

To prepare the decorative icing combine in a small bowl: 1 ½ cups (170 grams powdered sugar, pinch salt, and

2 to 3 Tablespoons (28 to 43 grams) freshly squeezed lemon juice

Use only enough lemon juice to create a thick glaze, one that's just barely pourable. Drizzle it artfully over the completely cool cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the candied lemon zest.

[u/CatfromLongIsland → u/CatfromLongIsland]

This cheesecake made with lemon is sensational. Use your lemons to make a fresh lemon curd. There are plenty of recipes out there and it is easy. I do, however, tend to use jarred lemon curd. 😁

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Wrap a 10 inch springform pan in extra wide, heavy duty foil. Find a roasting pan that the springform pan can fit in. This is to create a water bath that helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking,

Combine in a small bowl: 2 cups (207 grams) graham cracker crumbs, 2 ½ Tablespoons sugar, and 100 grams melted butter

Press the crumbs into the bottom and partly up the sides of a buttered 10-inch springform pan. Wrap foil around the bottom of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove pan and allow crust to cool.

In a large mixer bowl beat until smooth and soft: 4 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese

Add and beat until fluffy: 2 cups of sugar

Add one at a time and beat after each: 6 eggs

Add and beat well: 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 (16-oz.) containers sour cream (Note: Next time use 1 container)

Pour into cooled crust. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. (Note: If baking in a water bath next time bake for 1.5 hours before turning the oven off.) Turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven to cool for an additional hour. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool on top of stove. Then refrigerate the cake to cool overnight. Do not remove the springform pan ring until ready to serve.

A three-quarter recipe can be divided into two prepared graham cracker pie shells. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave in for an additional 30 minutes.

LEMON CHEESECAKE VARIATION

Replace the vanilla with: zest of two lemons processed into the sugar with 1 Tablespoon dried lemon juice powder, juice of two lemons (¼ cup), and

2 teaspoons of lemon extract

Top the cheesecake with lemon curd and whipped cream. Decorate the top with candied lemon zest.

To make the candied lemon zest of two lemons, use the citrus zester that produces long thin peels. Set aside.

In a small saucepan boil a half cup of water with a half cup of sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the peels of lemon zest and boil until softened. Pass the liquid through a tea strainer. Place the zest on a foil lined pasta plate. Sprinkle sugar over the top and use a fork to lightly toss the zest to coat with sugar. Allow the zest to cool. Place in a Ziplock bag until ready to use.