Lemon Curd tart

So I have a new love, hes rich, sharp, smooth and creamy and oh so fresh. Hes curd. Sounds like something you scrape off the top of off milk really, but im talking something completely different. Im talking the buttery smooth goodness of a curd cut with the fresh tang of a zesty lemon, or lime or better yet, lemon and lime. Ive always been a big chocoholic but im slowly swaying towards a good citrus curd. So luxurious and better yet so simple to make. Spread it on fresh scones, pikelets, fill sponge cakes or the ultimate, fill a tart. Dollop of fresh double cream and babe im in heaven.

This recipe originally called for the Meyer Lemon variety, more golden yellow in colour and could perhaps produce a better result, but i knew this tart was not going to last long once baked and to be frank, i dont have a meyer lemon tree in my garden and i dont really give a damn. If you havent tried a lemon tart before, which i doubt, then do it now. Theres no turning back (unless of course your a caeliac then maybe you could just suck on a lemon?sorry, i guess you just miss out.) This recipe is soo good, it lasted approximately....20minutes once served? I suggest you cook two!

Ingredients:

Base:
175g butter
2 egg yolks
250g plain flour
75g icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180. In a food processor, cream the butter and sugar. Add the yolks, plain flour and 2 1/2 tablespoons cold water. Pulse till it all just pulls together. Roll the dough to approx 5mm (or whatever you think makes a good base) between greaseproof paper. It says to let it rest in the fridge for 15mins but i couldnt be bothered and i just cooked mine straight away. Blind bake 30mins or till golden.

Filling:
Zest of 3 lemons
4 egg yolks
100ml lemon juice
60g butter
1/2cup castor sugar
Thickened cream

Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar till dissolved but not frothy. put it in a saucepan on low with the butter, zest and juice of the lemons. Bring to simmer and when thickens and see bubbles appear, take from the heat and continue to stir. Allow to cool. Stir in as much thickened cream as you like. Put in tart and bake five minutes.

Sticky date pudding with warm toffee sauce and whipped cream

Winter is such a comfort food time in Melbourne and what better way to fill that warmth craving in our slowly widening waists than with a good pudding. Sticky date pudding is all the go in the Australian colder months, the stickier the better. Its the ultimate winter warmer dessert and a sure hit with everyone, in fact rarely have i come across someone who doesnt like it. One warm comforting mouthful as the sauce runs down your throat like a gentle liquid streamand im hooked. Served with whipped cream or cold ice cream, this pudding is beyond compare, I could easily gain a compulsive eating disorder with this, its hard to stop once begun. Your guests will be drooling at the mouth once you mention that you are making this dish for desert and wait till they try how good this variation is. Once eaten, never forgotten, a tasteful memory worth those extra kilos to the hips.

There really are so many different versions out there, all quiet similar but with slight variations, especially in the amount of butter used which can make it taste all the better but can sometimes I believe be unneccesary. In this case, it was necessary. I tested a few recipes out but the ones with more butter seemed that bit better, that bit more caramelly, stickier and satisfying and I found this to be the best recipe, taken from a canadian gourmet magazine. This quantity is for a big slice tin of pudding with enough sauce to cover it all and will last a family of four, as piggy as mine, a couple of nights or a dinner party of 6-8 quiet generously. However, I generally halve this quantity.

Ingrediants:
For pudding
1 3/4 cups packed pitted dates
1 cup water
1 cup orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
(6 tablespoons) unsalted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs

For sauce
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F and butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan (2 inches deep), knocking out excess flour.
2.Coarsely chop and in a saucepan simmer dates in water and orange juice, uncovered, 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda. (Mixture will foam.) Let mixture stand 20 minutes.
3. While mixture is standing, into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt.
4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating after each addition until just combined. Add date mixture and with a wooden spoon stir batter until just combined well.
6. Pour batter into baking pan and set pan in a larger baking pan. Add enough hot water to larger pan to reach halfway up sides of smaller pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 1 hour. Remove smaller pan from water bath and cool pudding to warm on a rack.

Make sauce while pudding is cooling:
In a heavy saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and add brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and stir in cream and vanilla. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Cool sauce to warm.
Cut warm pudding into triangles, poke holes in pieces with a fork. Serve with thick cream and warm sauce which will drizzle into the holes in the pudding and become moist and sticky.