Candied Lemon Slices For Lemon Thyme Tower Cake Food

CANDIED LEMON SLICES

Steps:

• Combine the water and sugar in a large 12" or 14" skillet over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Place the lemon slices into the skillet in a single layer. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes flipping the slices occasionally throughout.
• Remove the lemon slices to a parchment lined baking sheet letting as much excess syrup drip off as possible. (*see note)
• Let dry on the baking sheet uncovered at room temperature for 24 hours. The candied lemon slices will be tacky after drying for 24 hours but dry enough to use as garnishes or chop up into baking recipes, etc.
• Store any leftover lemon slices between sheets of parchment in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks.

CANDIED LEMON SLICES

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut lemon into 12 paper-thin slices; discard seeds and ends of rind.
• Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and add lemon slices; stir until softened, about 1 minute. Drain, and immediately plunge slices into ice-water bath. Drain.
• Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium skillet, swirling to dissolve sugar. When liquid is clear and bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low. Add lemon slices, arranging them in one layer with tongs. Simmer (do not let boil) until rinds are translucent, about 1 hour.
• Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Let stand until ready to serve. Lemon slices can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day.

LEMON-THYME TOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour three 6-inch-round cake pans, and set aside.
• Combine eggs, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Sift flour and cornstarch over egg mixture; fold in with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into pans.
• Bake until cakes spring back to the touch and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove cakes from oven; transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Turn out cakes. Using a serrated knife, level the tops; slice each cake horizontally into two even layers. Place one layer on a 6-inch cardboard round. Using a pastry brush, brush 5 layers generously with the candied-lemon syrup. Spread the pastry cream over 5 layers, about 3/4 cup per layer. Stack layers on the cardboard, ending with the one uncoated layer. To stabilize cake, insert a 6-inch wooden skewer through center. Overlap the candied lemon slices and thyme sprigs on top of the cake. Refrigerate until pastry cream has set, at least 1 hour. Serve.

CANDIED LEMON SLICES FOR LEMON-THYME TOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Using a Japanese mandoline, slice the lemon as thinly as possible; set slices aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and 2 cups water. Bring liquid to a boil over medium-high heat Add lemon slices; return to a boil. Remove pan from heat. Let cool completely; transfer syrup and slices to an airtight container. Store, refrigerated, up to 1 week.

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE WITH CANDIED LEMONS

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a tube pan and set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and the granulated sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition. Sift together the flour and the baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, poppy seeds, and thyme leaves (if desired) and beat until fully combined.
• Pour the batter into the tube pan and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• For the glaze: While the cake is still warm, in a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar. Pierce the top of the cake with a fork to create holes, then pour the mixture over the cake on the rack, allowing the glaze to soak in. Garnish with thyme leaves if desired and Candied Lemons. This cake is great served warm and will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
• Bring a medium saucepot with water to a boil and remove from the heat. Place the lemon slices in the hot water and let sit 1 to 2 minutes until the slices soften. Drain the slices from the water and place into an ice bath; leave in the ice water until the sugar syrup is ready.
• Put 1 3/4 cups of the granulated sugar and 1 3/4 cups water in a saute pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low. Place the slices directly into the sugar syrup and cook on medium low for 1 hour. Remove the slices to a rack on a baking sheet to dry.
• Toss the slices in the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar to coat. Store in an airtight container until using.

LEMON POUND CAKES WITH CANDIED LEMON SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch (6-cup) loaf pans; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and lemon zest; set aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; mix in vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in three parts, and sour cream in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes (tent loosely with foil if browning too quickly). Meanwhile, make Candied Lemon Slices and Lemon Syrup.
• Remove cakes from oven; while they're still in pans, use a wooden skewer or toothpick to poke several holes in tops. Setting aside 1/4 cup Lemon Syrup, pour remainder over cakes. Let cakes cool completely in pans, about 2 hours. Remove from pans, and place, right side up, on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Brush cakes all over with reserved syrup.
• In a small bowl, whisk confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice; add up to 2 more tablespoons juice until pourable but thick.
• Pour lemon glaze over cakes (still on cooling rack), letting it drip down the sides. Let set, about 30 minutes. Garnish with Candied Lemon Slices.

CANDIED LIME SLICES

Steps:

• Slice limes into thin rounds, blanch in a pot of boiling water for 2 min & drain.
• In the same pot, combine water & 1 cup sugar. Bring to a simmer & add lime slices. Simmer for 10-15 min, till white pith of limes looks translucent (May take longer if pith is esp thick or dense).
• Drain & spread out on a cooling rack to dry for at least 1 hour.
• Put 2 tbsp sugar in shallow bowl or saucer. When limes are dry, coat both sides of the lime slices by pressing them into the sugar (May need more sugar for good coverage).
• Store in an airtight container & layer between parchment paper or plastic wrap till ready to use. I freeze these when I make a batch & then just take out what I need to use.

OVEN CANDIED LEMON SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275*F.
• Liine a 15x10x1" baking pan with parchment paper(or wax paper).
• Cut 2 small lemons crosswise into 1/8-1/4 inch thick slices.
• Arrange in a single layer on pan.
• Sprinkle lemon slices with 1/4 cup sugar.
• Bake in at 275*F. 45-50 minutes or until lemons are almost dry and covered with a sugary glaze. While still warm, loosen slices from paper to prevent sticking.

LEMON TOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare pie filling as directed.
• Cover surface with waxed paper and chill.
• Spread 1/2 the chilled filling between layers of cake.
• Whip cream; fold in remaining 1/2 of the filling.
• Spread mixture over top and sides of cake and chill for at least 4 hours.