An indulgent selection of puddings and cakes from lemon pavlova to a boozy British trifle
Lemon pavlova
I make this with a jar of shop-bought lemon curd, but obviously I wouldnt stop you from making your own. Should you want, proceed as follows: whisk together 2 large eggs, the yolks from 2 further large eggs and 150g caster sugar in a heavy-based saucepan (off the heat). Add the finely grated zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons and 100g soft unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes or teaspooned out into similar-sized blobs, and put the pan over a medium heat, stirring constantly with a little flat whisk, until thickened. This will take around 5-7 minutes, but keep taking it off the heat stirring or whisking all the while at regular intervals during this time. When thickened, pour and scrape into a cold bowl and let it cool, stirring occasionally.
Serves 812
egg whites 6 (feel free to use egg whites from a carton, such as Two Chicks, if wished)
caster sugar 375g
cornflour 2 tsp
unwaxed lemons 2
flaked almonds 50g
double cream 300ml
lemon curd 1 x 325g jar
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with parchment.
Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time till the meringue is stiff and shiny.
Sprinkle the cornflour over the meringue, then grate in the zest a fine microplane is best for this of 1 lemon and add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
Gently fold until everything is thoroughly mixed in. Mound onto the lined baking tray in a fat circle approximately 23cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and the top with a knife or spatula.
Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150C/gas mark 2, and cook for 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool, but dont leave it anywhere cold as this will make it crack too quickly. If you think your kitchen is too cool, then leave the pavlova inside the oven with the door completely open. When youre ready to eat, turn the pavlova onto a large flat plate or board with the underside uppermost I do this before I sit down to the meal in question and let it stand till pudding time. This is so the tender marshmallow belly of the pav melds with the soft topping.
Toast the flaked almonds, by frying them in a dry pan over a medium to high heat until they have started to colour. Shake the pan at regular intervals and dont let them burn. This doesnt take more than a minute or so. When theyre done, remove to a cold plate so that they dont carry on cooking.
Whip the cream until thick and airy but still with a soft voluptuousness about it, and set it aside for a mo.
Put the lemon curd into a bowl and beat it with a wooden spoon or spatula to loosen it a little. Taste the lemon curd (if its shop-bought) and add some lemon zest and a spritz of juice if its too sweet.
With a light hand, a glad heart and a spatula, spread the lemon curd on top of the meringue base. Now top with the whipped cream, peaking it rather as if it were a meringue topping. Sprinkle with the zest of the remaining lemon you can grate this finely or coarsely as you wish followed by the flaked almonds, and serve triumphantly.
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