I spent three years testing lemon cakes before I thought to make one with two of my beloved kitchen staples. Labne offers tang and contributes to the cake’s tender crumb. Replacing fresh lemon with preserved Meyer lemon paste streamlines the preparation and also provides the salt and acid that make this cake an undeniable pleasure to eat.
Preserved lemon and labne cake
Makes a 23cm round cake
For the cake
• 250g granulated sugar
• 180g labne, sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 110g neutral oil
• 80g preserved Meyer lemon paste
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 medium eggs, at room temperature
• 180g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the glaze
• 1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 125g icing sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
Method
Adjust an oven rack to the centre position and preheat to 180°C. Coat a 23cm round cake tin with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottom with a round of parchment, then spray the parchment and set aside.
To make the cake, in a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, labne, oil, lemon paste, water and eggs.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture until smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until an inserted cocktail stick emerges free of crumbs.
Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze, in a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the turmeric, then let the mixture sit for a few minutes to bloom. Whisk in the icing sugar and salt until smooth, adding more lemon juice to get a drizzly consistency. Spread the glaze over the cold cake, letting it drip down the sides. Leave to set for 30 minutes before slicing.
Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Preserved Meyer lemon paste
Makes about 1 litre
Ingredients
• 10 Meyer lemons, preferably organic and unwaxed, washed
• Kosher salt
• 2.5cm piece fresh turmeric root, peeled and thinly sliced (optional)
Method
Halve 8 of the lemons crossways and use the tip of a paring knife to remove the seeds (the remaining lemons will be for juicing). Slice into each lemon half from the cut side towards the end, leaving the two pieces connected by about 1.25cm of fruit.
Working over a bowl to catch run-off, rub a generous amount of kosher salt (about 2 teaspoons/6g per lemon half) over all of the exposed lemon flesh, then reshape the lemon halves.
Reserving the bowl of excess salt and juice, tightly pack the lemons into a sterilised wide-mouth 1-litre glass jar, breaking them apart as needed to fit them all in. If using turmeric, layer slices in as you go.
Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the reserved bowl of salt and top the jar off with the salty juice. Use a chopstick to remove air bubbles from between the lemons, gently tap the jar on the counter to let the juice settle. Add more lemon juice if needed to ensure the lemons are submerged, leaving 1.25cm of space at the top of the jar. Seal the jar with a sterilised lid (if using a metal lid, wrap it with plastic wrap to prevent corrosion).
Leave the jar at cool room temperature out of direct sunlight. Shake the jar daily and check that the lemons remain submerged. The lemons are ready when the rinds are tender – about 3 weeks in a moderate climate, 1 month in a cool climate, or about 1 week in a hot climate).
Reserving the brine, transfer the lemons and turmeric to a blender or food processor. Pulse to blend, adding a splash of brine if needed to encourage things along. When the lemons have mostly broken down, taste the paste and, if desired, add some or all of the brine to taste (otherwise, you can save the brine in a separate jar). Continue blending to achieve your desired texture – I prefer a smooth purée and usually end up using all of the brine. Transfer to a sterilised jar, cover with a sterilised lid, and refrigerate for up to 1 year, as long as you’re very careful to not cross- contaminate (ie, always use a clean utensil and don’t double-dip).
Uses
For a refreshing Salty Lemon Soda, stir a spoonful of Preserved Meyer Lemon Paste into a large glass of chilled sparkling water. Sweeten with agave syrup to taste and serve over ice.
Cherry clafoutis
Makes one 30cm clafoutis
Requires 4 hours or overnight resting
Ingredients
• 4 medium eggs
• 134g granulated sugar
• 11/4 tsp (4g) kosher salt
• 240g soured cream
• 160g full-fat milk
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 68g plus 1 tbsp plain flour
• 675g sweet cherries, pitted and halved
• ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
• 14g unsalted butter
• Icing sugar, for serving
Method
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, 1 teaspoon (3g) of the salt, the soured cream, milk and almond extract until smooth. Sprinkle 68g of the flour over the custard mixture and whisk until smooth. Transfer the custard to a 1-litre container, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
About 1 hour before you plan to bake, pull the custard mixture out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, place a clean, well-seasoned 30cm cast-iron frying pan on the lower rack, and preheat to 220°C. Line a baking tray with parchment and lay out the cherries, cut-side up (it’s fine if they crowd each other a bit). Roast on the upper rack for 15 minutes until tender and beginning to dry out. Let the cherries cool a bit, then transfer to a medium bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour, the cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat the cherries evenly.
Carefully remove the hot frying pan from the oven and add the butter. Swirl it around the pan to coat the bottom and sides as it melts. Pour in the batter and arrange the cherries evenly on top (it’s fine if some of them sink).
Return the pan to the lower rack and bake for 18-20 minutes until the clafoutis puffs and browns. If the top of the clafoutis isn’t browning after 15 minutes, rotate and transfer the pan to the upper rack and continue baking until the centre of the custard barely jiggles and the temperature registers 90°C.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then serve warm either straight from the pan or flipped out onto a serving platter. Shower with icing sugar.
Variation
For an apricot clafoutis, substitute 675g of quartered fresh apricots.
Note
If you don’t have a 30cm cast-iron frying pan, use a 25cm pan and increase the cooking time by 2-3 minutes. Or use a 30cm stainless-steel frying pan, but keep a closer eye on the clafoutis, as it may cook more quickly.
An edited extract from Good Things, by Samin Nosrat (Random House, RRP $70).
