Olive Oil Lemon Curd Food

ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH LEMON BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 300˚ F. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Combine the sugar, 2 1/3 cups flour, the baking powder, salt and 2 egg yolks in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until well mixed. Stream in 1 cup olive oil and mix about 30 seconds. Beat in the 3 whole eggs, one at a time. Stream in the milk and vanilla and mix until combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine the chopped rosemary, remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and 3 teaspoons flour. Fold the rosemary mixture into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pans.
• Make the lemon curd: In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup sugar, the egg yolk, lemon zest and juice, cornstarch and 1 tablespoon butter. Stir continuously with a rubber spatula until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Transfer the lemon curd to a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate to cool.
• Make the buttercream: Set up a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. In a medium saucepan, heat the egg whites and remaining 1 cup sugar over medium heat until the mixture reaches 160˚ F and the sugar is dissolved. (You should not be able to feel any sugar granules and the mixture should be very warm, not hot, to the touch.)
• Pour the egg white mixture into the mixer bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until the meringue is three times its volume, holds firm peaks and has cooled to about 95˚ F, about 4 minutes. Beat in the remaining 4 sticks butter slowly, piece by piece, until smooth and blended. Beat in the salt and vanilla.
• Remove the lemon curd from the refrigerator and fold it into the buttercream until well combined.
• Assemble the cake: Transfer 1 cake layer to a cake plate. Spread some of the buttercream on top using an offset spatula. Top with the other cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of buttercream (this is the crumb coat); refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes. Cover with the remaining buttercream.

OLIVE OIL LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Place the lemon juice, sugar, eggs, egg yolk, lemon zest and salt in a blender, and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the motor still running, slowly pour in the oil until just combined.
• Fill a medium saucepan with about an inch of water and bring water to boil over high heat. Transfer lemon mixture to a metal mixing bowl that can nestle into top of the saucepan without touching the water. Reduce heat to medium-low and, using a potholder or towel to protect your hands, whisk constantly until the curd thickens and looks like mayonnaise, 6 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook. (If you have a double boiler, you can use that here instead of the pot and the bowl.)
• Remove bowl from the heat and inspect the curd. If you see hard bits of coagulated egg, strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve, pressing with a rubber spatula. (If it looks smooth, you can skip this step.) Transfer curd to a container and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to create an airtight seal. Let the curd cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.

LEMON OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray.
• Thinly slice 2 lemons and remove the seeds; set aside for topping. Grate the zest of 2 lemons. Squeeze enough of the lemons to measure 1/2 cup juice.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat 1 cup granulated sugar, the olive oil, eggs, lemon zest, 1/4 cup lemon juice and the vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until combined, about 1 minute.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 40 minutes in the pan, then remove to the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Put the lemon slices in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then drain. Return the lemon slices to the saucepan and repeat the boiling process two more times. Return the lemon slices to the saucepan and add 1 cup water, the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the liquid gently simmers; cook until the liquid is syrupy and the lemon slices are tender and translucent, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Make the glaze: Combine the confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a bowl until smooth, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice if the glaze is too thick. Spoon the glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Remove the candied lemon slices from the syrup, letting the excess drip back into the saucepan. Arrange on top of the cake.