meyer lemon – FoodWatcher

Lemon Olive Oil Sugar Cookies

Soft, chewy, and lemony sugar cookies made with extra virgin olive oil instead of butter for a unique flavor and a delightful chewy texture—with a delicate crunch on the outside from the granulated sugar coating, they are, simply put, a textural delight. The soft oil-based dough is easily mixed by hand with a spatula or […]

The post Lemon Olive Oil Sugar Cookies first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

The soft oil-based dough is easily mixed by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon, no electric mixer required. The simplicity is just one more reason to love these unique cookies!

Crackly top Lemon Olive Oil Sugar Cookies on marble with a small glass pourer of olive oil, lemons, and a plate of more cookies in the background.

It shouldn’t be surprising (based on the name of this blog) that we go through a lot of olive oil. It’s our go-to oil and we couldn’t live without it (well, we could, but we wouldn’t be very happy about it). That said, I’ll admit I often overlook it in baking projects in lieu of butter. And that’s a shame, because olive oil is actually quite lovely when it comes to sweets.

That was my goal with these cookies: to show how well olive oil works for baking. The result is a soft and chewy sugar cookie straight out of your dreams. They are light in texture and incredibly buttery, surprisingly so, considering they are actually made with no butter at all, but rather, extra virgin olive oil.

You may never use butter for baking again.

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Strawberry Passionfruit Lemonade

Welcome summer with this refreshing twist on a classic lemonade, made with Meyer lemons, fresh passionfruit juice, and a ruby red strawberry syrup for the perfect amount of sweetness and strawberry flavor. Sure lemonade is refreshing, but have you ever tried strawberry passionfruit lemonade? The unique combination of fruit results in an extra tart, bright […]

The post Strawberry Passionfruit Lemonade first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

Sure lemonade is refreshing, but have you ever tried strawberry passionfruit lemonade? The unique combination of fruit results in an extra tart, bright fruity flavor that folks of all ages will adore.

Three glasses with pretty ombre colored Strawberry Passionfruit Lemonade, with black passionfruit seeds speckled throughout and cut lemons and strawberries scattered around.

We’ve had a lovely spring here in Nashville, but the heat and humidity are definitely upon us now. In this kind of weather there are few things more refreshing than an ice-cold glass of homemade lemonade.

If that lemonade is gussied up with strawberry and passionfruit… well, I’m not complaining (really, it’s all of my favorite flavors in one dewy glass!)

It’s one of those recipes that is ripe for adaptation too (get it? ripe?) whether you use sparkling instead of still water, replace the strawberries with blueberries or blackberries, or even add a splash (or more than a splash) of something boozy for an adults-only variation.

Pouring strawberry syrup into 3 glasses filled with ice and a bright yellow lemon passionfruit juice.

This is an adaptation of my Passion Fruit Meyer Lemonade recipe from a few years back. The main difference being the addition of strawberries, which are cooked down with the sugar syrup. This version also has a bit more lemon juice to passionfruit, mainly because passionfruit is a bit of a rare find these days and I wanted to preserve the precious little I have, but also to give a better balance of flavors and tartness to the final product.

The flavors in this recipe are beautifully balanced; as much as I love strawberry I didn’t want that to be the the only thing you tasted. Instead, you should get equal amounts of strawberry as you do the passionfruit and Meyer lemon.

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Strawberry Meyer Lemon Tart

The taste of springtime in one show-stopping tart: a velvety smooth Meyer lemon curd and a layer of bright strawberry jam nestled inside a lemon-scented shortbread crust, and topped with fresh strawberries and edible flowers. Lemon and strawberry come together in a tart that’s as bright in flavor as it is in color. Using Meyer […]

The post Strawberry Meyer Lemon Tart first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

Lemon and strawberry come together in a tart that’s as bright in flavor as it is in color. Using Meyer lemons gives the curd filling a well-balanced sweetness with a vibrant lemon flavor, paired with fresh strawberries and a layer of strawberry jam for a perfect finish.

Rectangular Strawberry Meyer Lemon Tart topped with fresh strawberries, lemon twists and edible flowers.

Technically lemon season is at its end, but, thanks to an over-eager tree trimmer, my aunt had a surplus of lemons that needed to be used immediately. Three days later (the postal service is an amazing thing) I found myself with yet another box full of gorgeous Meyer lemons.

After having already made a lemon loaf cake and lemon mousse cakes and a double batch of homemade limoncello, I decided to revisit an old lemon tart recipe to update and rephotograph.

Well, one thing led to another and I ended up making something entirely different (are you surprised? You shouldn’t be).

Seeing that strawberry season is upon us, combining strawberries and lemons seemed like an obvious choice. While I toyed with the idea of mixing the strawberries into the lemon curd, or even adding a layer of strawberry gelée on top, I ultimately decided to keep it simple and spread a layer of fresh strawberry jam in the bottom of the crust. I was a bit worried the jam would mix with the curd or even migrate to the top in the oven, but, to my surprise, it came out as a beautifully defined layer of strawberry jam beneath a vibrant yellow lemon curd.

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Pistachio & Meyer Lemon Mousse Cakes with Mirror Glaze

Lemon lovers, this one’s for you! These bright and sunny entrement cakes feature a core of Meyer lemon curd nestled inside a fluffy lemon and vanilla mousse, with a base of crisp and nutty pistachio dacquoise, all enrobed in a beautifully shiny yellow mirror glaze. Lemon and pistachio is a match made for springtime. With […]

The post Pistachio & Meyer Lemon Mousse Cakes with Mirror Glaze first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

Lemon and pistachio is a match made for springtime. With a tangy lemon curd center and a light and airy lemon mousse, these gorgeous Meyer lemon and pistachio mini mousse cakes are dressed to impress with a shiny yellow mirror glaze and bright green pistachio accents.

Round plate with bright yellow dome-shaped mousse cakes, one cut to show the layers inside; bowl of lemons in the background.

Spring means lemons, and while I’m not usually one for lemon desserts, these gorgeous little mousse cakes are most definitely an exception.

I mean, just look at them! What’s not to love? A joyful combination of lemon, vanilla, and pistachio flavors, they’re like little pops of sunshine… for your tastebuds.

I was the lucky recipient of a box of Meyer lemons from my aunt’s tree in California. Such a delivery always makes me very, very happy, moreso than shoes or clothes or books even. I dedicated about half the lemons for more homemade limoncello (I hope to update the post with more info later this year), but the rest were just sitting in the box, begging me to use them in something unique and delicious.

These lemon and pistachio entremet cakes are certainly that!

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Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake

This moist and flavorful lemon loaf is made with extra virgin olive oil and Meyer lemons for a unique flavor, moist texture and gorgeous golden yellow color. Winter is citrus season, and Meyer lemons (a cross between lemon and mandarin oranges) are one of my favorites. This lemon loaf cake is a celebration of all […]

The post Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

This moist and flavorful lemon loaf is made with extra virgin olive oil and Meyer lemons for a unique flavor, moist texture and gorgeous golden yellow color.

Winter is citrus season, and Meyer lemons (a cross between lemon and mandarin oranges) are one of my favorites. This lemon loaf cake is a celebration of all things Meyer lemon, with a tender crumb infused with copious amounts of zest, a sweet lemony soaking syrup, AND a crackly lemon glaze on top.

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake with two slices cut to show the interior texture, whole/half lemons, napkin and a knife around it.

Citrus is the only redeeming part of winter, in my opinion. Sort of like peaches and tomatoes in summer (which are like a delicious consolation prize for dealing with all the darn humidity).

I wanted a beautiful, moist and lemony loaf cake with notes of extra virgin olive oil and a delicately sweet glaze. The EVOO flavor is subtle, but it does come through—you’d certainly taste the difference compared side by side to a cake made with vegetable oil.

This loaf cake falls somewhere between a pound cake and a yellow birthday cake in terms of texture, somehow buttery despite the fact that there’s no butter to be found. Infused with subtle Meyer lemon flavor and hints of fruity, verdant olive oil, it really is a delightful winter cake, and easy and impressive to boot!

Whatever you do, don’t skip the lemon soaking syrup or crackly lemon sugar glaze – that’s *literally* the icing on the cake (the perfect sweet finish where the punchiest lemon flavor comes through!) You may be tempted to just do one or the other, but trust me when I say you won’t regret the extra steps when you take your first bite of the finished cake.

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Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies

The post Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies appeared first on Baking Bites.

Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies

These Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies are a bright, fresh twist on a classic blondie recipe for an easy-to-make treat that citrus-lovers will love. Blondies are bar cookies that are similar in texture to brownies – dense and chewy – but don’t use cocoa powder or chocolate in the same way that brownies do. In fact, many of them don’t use chocolate at all. These Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies do use chocolate and come so close to the texture of traditional brownies that I was tempted to call them a white chocolate brownie, even though “blondie” is a bit more accurate here.

Lemon and white chocolate are an excellent flavor combination. White chocolate is rich and buttery, sweeter than other chocolates. In good quality white chocolate – meaning white chocolate that is made with real cocoa butter and not other vegetable solids – you should taste flavors of milk and vanilla, as well as getting a smooth and creamy finish. The flavors in white chocolate go well with lemon, and the bright citrus flavor of lemon contrast well with the richer notes of the chocolate.

In this particular recipe, I opted to use meyer lemons. Meyer lemons are just as bold in flavor as regular lemons are, but they have less acidity and don’t pack quite as much bite as their regular counterparts. The meyer lemon goes particularly well with the white chocolate.

The bars are chewy and flavorful, though a crisp edge develops around the bars where the blondies come into contact with the pan. You’ll taste a strong lemon flavor, as well as a rich creaminess from the white chocolate. There is white chocolate melted into the batter and that contributes to the blondies’ satisfyingly chewy texture. There are plenty of white chocolate chips stirred into the batter, along with fresh lemon zest that really pops in the finished bake.

These blondies taste even better the day after they are baked, as the white chocolate and lemon flavors meld together and you get even more lemon flavor in every bite. If you don’t have meyer lemons available – and you can find them at many markets, as well as at farmers markets, because they grow year-round – you can use regular lemon zest. The bars will still be delicious, but the flavor will be slightly brighter than bars made with meyer lemons. The bars keep well for several days after baking when stored in an airtight container.

Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies
1/2 cup butter
2 oz white chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 tbsp meyer lemon zest (from 1 large lemons)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8Ã—8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter on high heat. When butter is completely melted, add in chopped white chocolate and allow it to melt. Stir until smooth and allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and egg until well-combined. Beat in salt and lemon zest until well combined. Stir in chocolate mixture.
Stir in flour and mix until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Fold in white chocolate until no streaks of flour remain.
Transfer batter – batter will be thick – to prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until bars are set and light golden.
Cool completely in the pan before slicing.

Makes 16.

The post Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies appeared first on Baking Bites.

Whole Lemon Bars

I’ve been having my own little lemon festival ever since I got a Meyer lemon tree. Meyer lemons aren’t well-known in France (yet), although I have a feeling once people get a taste of their sweet, highly perfumed juice, we may start seeing…

Continue Reading Whole Lemon Bars...

Sweet Lemon (bergamot) Marmalade

Bergamots aren’t something one runs across every day in the supermarket, or even at greengrocers. But mid-winter, depending on where you live, you just might get lucky and happen across some, as I recently did in Paris. But no matter, this recipe can be made with other kinds of lemon, especially “sweet” lemons, such as Meyer lemons. There’s conflicting information on what a bergamot actually is,…

Bergamot Sweet Lemon Marmalade

Bergamots aren’t something one runs across every day in the supermarket, or even at greengrocers. But mid-winter, depending on where you live, you just might get lucky and happen across some, as I recently did in Paris. But no matter, this recipe can be made with other kinds of lemon, especially “sweet” lemons, such as Meyer lemons.

There’s conflicting information on what a bergamot actually is, but it’s definitely a member of the citrus family and most consider it to be a relative of the bitter orange, which might have been mated with a lemon at some point in its murky past.

Continue Reading Sweet Lemon (bergamot) Marmalade...