Lemon Delights
(Warning! If you dislike lemons, are on a diet, have a dairy allergy, and have a gluten allergy, then I advise that you stop reading this article right now.)
Today, I will share a very old recipe that has delighted the tastebuds of the whole Campania region of Italy, Delizie Al Limone, otherwise known as lemon delights.
This stunning treat features a soft, pillowy cake filled with a lemony pastry cream, flavored with lemon curd before being soaked with limoncello and topped with a glaze made from that same filling.
It’s a dessert that looks stunning and is so packed with lemony goodness that it makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
This is so worth making that I’m not even going to waste time with any fancy intro; I’m just going to jump right into the recipe!
Lemon Delights
Makes 5-6
For the Sponge Cake:
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup of sugar
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup of almond flour
3 tablespoons of flour
8 teaspoons of cornstarch
For the Lemon Custard:
3/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 lemon, zest removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup of sugar
5 teaspoons of cornstarch
A pinch of salt
For the Lemon Curd:
1 large lemon
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons of sugar
3 tablespoons of butter, cut into small cubes
For the Limoncello Syrup
1/2 a lemon, zest removed with a vegetable peeler
2 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons of limoncello
For the Filling and Glaze:
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 tablespoon of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of limoncello
1/3 cup of milk
Step 1: Make the Cake
Preheat the oven to 340 degrees and grease your baking pan. If you have those silicone hemisphere molds, those are best for this, but if not then a jumbo muffin pan or even just some 4-inch wide ramekins will work.
Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of the sugar, lemon zest vanilla paste, and salt for about 2 minutes, or until the yolks turn very pale. Add the almond flour, then whisk to combine.
Sift the flour and cornstarch into the batter, then gently fold to combine. The batter will look very thick at this point but just wait.
In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites with the remaining 5 tablespoons of sugar until they form stiff peaks. Add about 1/4 of the whipped egg whites to the batter and beat to combine and loosen the batter, then add the remaining whites and gently fold until the batter is fully combined.
Divide the batter amongst the pan, filling about 3/4 full, then bake for 16-18 minutes, or until baked in the center. Let them cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 2: Make the Lemon Custard
In a medium saucepan, warm the cream, milk, lemon zest, and vanilla paste over low heat for about 5 minutes to infuse.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl with the sugar, cornstarch, and salt until fully combined. Whisk about 1/2 of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, to temper, then pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes or until the custard is very thick.
Pass the custard through a fine mesh strainer to remove the lemon strips, cover directly with plastic wrap, then chill until cold and set.
Step 3: Make the Lemon Curd
Scrape the zest off of the lemon with a microplane, then squeeze out about 3 tablespoons of juice. Add the lemon zest and juice to a small saucepan with the egg yolks and sugar.
Heat the saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Remove the pan from the heat, then whisk in the butter, about a tablespoon at a time, until the butter is fully melted and incorporated into the curd.
Pour the curd into a small bowl, cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, then chill until completely cooled.
Step 4: Make the Limoncello Syrup
Place the strip of lemon zest into a small microwave-safe bowl with the water, sugar, and limoncello. Microwave for about 15 seconds, then stir until the sugar is dissolved. Leave to cool.
Step 5: Fill and Soak the Cakes
Whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
Mix the lemon curd into the custard until thoroughly combined. Add the limoncello and 2 tablespoons of the whipped cream, then fold to combine. Load the cream into a piping bag with a large star tip.
Pick up one cake, insert the tip of the bag into the center of the wider end of the cake, then squeeze the bag until the cake feels fuller and the filling starts to poke out of the bottom.
Repeat with the remaining cakes and reserve any remaining cream for the glaze.
Use a toothpick to prick the sides and top of the cakes all over, then use a pastry brush to apply the syrup made earlier, making sure the top and sides of each cake are fully coated.
Step 6: Make the glaze
Add 1/2 cup of the remaining whipped cream and the milk to the remaining cream, then stir to combine, it should have the texture of a thick glaze. Pour the glaze over each cake, making sure they’re fully covered, then refrigerate for about a few hours.
When ready to serve, decorate with the remaining whipped cream.
It is no mystery why these are called lemon delights!
The cake is incredibly soft and light, the filling is super creamy and full of lemon flavor, that hint of the limoncello comes through, and it is so good that I just might have to have these for my next birthday!
