Lemon Fingers Food

LEMON LADYFINGER DESSERT

Steps:

• Set aside 5 ladyfingers; line the sides and bottom of a lightly greased 9-in. springform pan with remaining ladyfingers. In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. , In another large bowl, beat cream cheese and curd until smooth; add sugar. Beat on medium for 1 minute. Fold in whipped cream. Spread half of cream cheese mixture into prepared pan. Arrange reserved ladyfingers in a spoke pattern over top. Spread with remaining cream cheese mixture. Cover and chill overnight.

LEMON FINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour and powdered sugar into a 9 x 9 baking dish. Cream in the butter thoroughly. Pat out this crust to cover the bottom of the dish. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
• Beat remaining ingredients together for 3 minutes (until light and fluffy). Pour over hot crust. Bake another 25 minutes or until no imprint remains when touched in center. Cool and cut into squares. Makes 16 cookies.
• To make this gluten free, substitute your favorite wheat free flour. I recently made this with Brown Rice Flour and it was very well received. To make this dairy free choose a non-dairy margarine. I used Flieschman's unsalted and it really worked well.

LIMONCELLO GINGER TIRAMISU

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water, sugar, and ginger to a boil, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand until completely cool.
• Put the mascarpone in a large bowl and fold it a few times with a large rubber spatula to loosen it. Stir the lemon curd and add it to the mascarpone. Using the spatula, gently fold the curd into the mascarpone until just combined and no streaks of white remain. Add a third of the whipped cream and fold lightly to combine; add the remaining whipped cream and fold gently, turning the bowl, until the mixture is homogeneous and no streaks of white remain.
• Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a shallow dish, pressing on the ginger to remove as much liquid as possible. Add the limoncello to the syrup and stir to combine.
• Briefly dipping both sides of half of the ladyfingers into the ginger-limoncello mixture (to moisten the cookies but not soak them), line the bottom of an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking dish or cake pan with 6 ladyfingers in 2 rows, trimming the edges to fit if necessary. (Place the trimmings in a small bowl and steal a spoonful of the filling to dollop over them and enjoy as a private little cook's treat.)
• Pour half of the lemon cream mixture into the pan, and with a small offset spatula, spread the filling evenly over the ladyfingers. Repeat with the remaining ladyfingers, trimming them exactly like the first layer; you may need to flip them over in the syrup in order to dip both sides once the syrup begins to run out. Spread the remaining cream over the top. Lightly cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
• To serve, slice with a warm dry knife.

SWIRLY LEMON DRIZZLE FINGERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and make sure there's a shelf ready in the middle of the oven. Butter a rectangular baking tray or small roasting tin, about 20cm x 30cm. Cut out a sheet of baking paper a bit larger than the tin, then push it in and smooth it out with your hands so it sticks to the butter. Snip into the corners with a pair of scissors to get the paper to lie neatly.
• Put all the cake ingredients and a pinch of salt into a large bowl, then use electric beaters to beat until creamy and smooth. Scoop into the tin, then level the top. Spoon the lemon curd over the batter in thick stripes. Use the handle of the spoon to swirl the curd into the cake - not too much or you won't see the swirls once it's cooked. Bake for about 35 mins or until golden and risen. It should have shrunk away from the sides of the tin ever so slightly and feel springy. Don't open the oven before 30 mins cooking is up.
• Leave the cake in the tin for 10 mins or until just cool enough to handle. Carefully lift out of the tin and put it onto a cooling rack, sat over a tray or something similar to catch drips of drizzle. To make the drizzle, mix 4 tbsp sugar and the lemon juice together and spoon over the cake. Toss the lemon zest with the final 1 tbsp sugar and scatter over the top. Let the cake cool completely, then lift onto a board, peel away the sides of the baking paper and cut the cake into fingers. Will keep in an airtight tin for 3 days.