Preparation Time: 3 hours 35 minutes Servings: 4 Complexity: Difficult
There are certain desserts that everyone loves to enjoy but hesitates to prepare at home, thinking they are too difficult. One such dessert is fondant. While chocolate fondant with its warm, luscious molten center is a crowd-pleaser, have you ever tried lemon fondant? If not, you’re in for a treat, and if you have, you’ll fall in love all over again with this recipe.
Lemon fondant follows the same principles as chocolate fondant, but instead of a molten chocolate center, a tangy lemon curd flows out of the soft sponge. It’s not only visually stunning but also incredibly delicious. The lemon curd, with its subtle tartness, pairs perfectly with the sweet and fluffy sponge cake. Though the process requires some time, it’s not as daunting as it might seem, and the result is well worth the effort. This lemon dessert is the perfect refreshing finish to any meal.
To make this delectable lemon fondant (also known as lemon lava cake), you need to prepare lemon curd in advance and freeze it. Then, you’ll whip up a simple sponge cake batter, fill the molds with the batter, add a frozen ball of lemon curd, and bake. In just 10-12 minutes, you’ll have an elegant dessert with a delightful lemony surprise inside.
Tips for Perfect Lemon Fondant
- Straining Lemon Juice: For a smooth lemon curd, strain the lemon juice to remove any seeds or pulp.
- Proper Cooking of Lemon Curd: Ensure the lemon curd is cooked over a steam bath, not in direct contact with water, to achieve the ideal texture.
- Covering the Curd: Once the curd is ready, cover it with cling film that touches the surface of the curd itself to prevent a skin from forming.
- Pre-Sifting the Flour: Sift the flour before adding it to the sponge batter to ensure the dessert is light and fluffy.
- Preheating the Oven: Always preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F) before baking. This ensures the fondants bake evenly and don’t remain undercooked.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd:
- 2 lemons (juice)
- 100 g sugar
- 50 g butter
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
For the Sponge Cake:
- 120 g sugar
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar (for decoration and dusting the molds)
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg white (leftover from the curd)
- 180 g flour
- 120 g butter (+5 g for greasing the molds)
- Zest of 2 lemons
Step-by-Step Recipe for Lemon Fondant
Step 1:Gather all the ingredients for the lemon fondant.
Step 2:Grate the zest of 2 lemons using a fine grater. Avoid the bitter white pith. Set the zest aside. To remove any residues on the lemon peel, pour boiling water over the lemons beforehand.
Step 3:Prepare the lemon curd by squeezing the juice from the lemons (about 120 ml). Strain the juice to remove any seeds or pulp.
Step 4:In a heatproof bowl, combine the lemon juice, 100 g of sugar, and 50 g of butter.
Step 5:Bring a pot of water to a boil and place the bowl over the pot, ensuring it doesn’t touch the water. Stir the mixture with a whisk until the sugar dissolves. Then, add the egg and egg yolk, reserving the egg white for the sponge cake.
Step 6:Continue stirring the curd over the steam bath until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
Step 7:Transfer the curd to another bowl and cover it with cling film, ensuring the film touches the surface of the curd. Freeze for 2 hours.
Step 8:Once the curd is solid, shape it into small balls using a spoon, place them on a parchment-lined tray, and freeze for another hour.
Step 9:For the sponge cake, combine the 3 eggs and the reserved egg white with 120 g of sugar in a bowl. Beat with a mixer until the mixture increases slightly in volume. Add the lemon zest and mix again briefly.
Step 10:Gently fold in 180 g of sifted flour using a spatula to maintain the airy texture.
Step 11:Melt 120 g of butter and fold it into the batter gently with a spatula until well incorporated.
Step 12:Grease the fondant molds with a small amount of butter and dust with powdered sugar. Pour the batter into the molds, leaving about 2 cm of space at the top to allow for the sponge to rise.
Step 13:Place a frozen ball of lemon curd into each mold, pressing slightly so it sinks into the batter. Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for 10-12 minutes. Allow the fondants to cool slightly before inverting them to remove from the molds. If they don’t release easily, tap the bottom of the molds or briefly place them in hot water (without letting water enter the molds). Dust the lemon fondants with powdered sugar before serving.
Enjoy your delightful lemon fondant!
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