Entering the 6th week of lockdown:
Hubby: Hey, do you want me to cut your hair?
Me: Dude, you’re not BRAVE enough!
On the bright side, we try to have a nice virtual adult-only dinner with friends after the kids go to bed, at least once a week. It’s a great way for us to stay connected and enjoy our time together.
Lemon and raspberry cupcakes
(Adapted from Ottolenghi’s Sweet)
For 12 cupcakes:
125 g butter (at room temperature)
Zest of 2 lemons (or a mixture of lemon and orange)
220 g sugar
3 large eggs
120 g Greek yogurt
160 g all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
150 g fresh raspberries (save 12 for decoration)
For lemon curd:
1 large egg
2 yolks
6 tbs lemon juice
80 g sugar
50 g butter (cubed)
For lemon-mascarpone frosting:
Lemon curd (above)
200 g mascarpone
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Line a regular cupcake tray with 12 liners.
- In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat butter + sugar + lemon zest until light and fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time.
- Add Greek yogurt and mix until combined.
- In a small bowl, sift flour + baking power + salt.
- Add flour mixture to egg-yogurt batter. Beat at high speed until fully combined.
- Add raspberries, mix for a few seconds.
- Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake molds.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Let cool completely.
To make the lemon curd:
- In a small bowl, whisk egg + egg yolks. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, heat lemon juice + sugar to boil.
- Pour the hot syrup over the eggs while whisking constantly.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until thicken, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat.
- Add one piece of butter at a time. Whisk until combined.
- Set aside to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- Add mascarpone to the lemon curd.
- Use a handheld mixer to beat at high speed until light and fluffy.
- Use a pastry bag fitted with a tip of your choice and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
- Eat within a day.