Martha Collison - Crave - Brilliantly Indulgent Recipes

Slicing into citrus fruits reveals a complex network of brightly coloured, almost translucent segments packed with tiny juice sacs that glisten in the light. They are held together by geometrically satisfying strips of white pith, which allow the fruits to fall apart neatly when peeled and split into segments.

When selecting citrus fruits for baking, choose firm, brightly coloured specimens that feel heavy for their size, as they should yield the most juice. If you are going to grate or pare the zest (which I recommend, as it contains the citrus oils that characterise each fruit), be sure to buy them unwaxed, as the protective wax coating applied to fruits has a bitter flavour and tough texture. If you can’t find unwaxed fruits, remove the wax by washing them in hot water and scrubbing them with a brush. Before juicing fruits, roll them on a worktop. The pressure of rolling bursts open some of the segments inside, which makes them easier to juice.

Limoncello brandy snap curls

Once you try making your own brandy snaps, they will no longer be condemned to the folder marked ‘difficult bakes’. These delicious retro treats are made with storecupboard ingredients and can be whipped up quickly if you make a small quantity. The key here is to be vigilant when you’re weighing the ingredients; being a few grams out really does make a difference in this recipe. I’ve paired the snaps with a limoncello cream because I love the way it brings out the citrus flavour in the brandy snap, but if you’d rather make alcohol-free brandy snaps substitute the limoncello for lemon juice or just dip them into plain whipped cream.

MAKES 8 BRANDY SNAP CURLS

PREP TIME: 10 MINS PLUS COOLING

COOKING TIME: 6–8 MINS

Oil, for greasing

25g butter

25g soft light brown sugar

25g golden syrup

Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and 1 tsp juice

25g plain flour

LIMONCELLO CREAM

100ml double cream

1 tsp icing sugar

1 tbsp limoncello

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4, line 2 baking trays with baking parchment and grease a rolling pin or long, thin bottle with oil.

2 Stir the butter, sugar and golden syrup together in a small saucepan over a medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest, reserving a pinch to garnish the limoncello cream.

3 Sift the flour into the saucepan and beat it into the mixture until a smooth dough forms.

4 Using a teaspoon, drop about 4 heaps of mixture on to each tray. It will be fairly runny, but this is normal. Make sure that you leave space between the heaps, as they will spread out when they bake.

5 Bake for 6–8 minutes until golden brown, spread out and bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for a minute so they mould easily without tearing. As they cool they take on their signature lacy pattern.

6 Wedge the greased rolling pin or bottle between a couple of heavy objects so it is stable when you place the snaps on it. Use a palette knife to lift the warm snaps on to the rolling pin and gently press them down so they bend around the cylinder to make curls. Leave to set until cool and crisp.

7 Whisk the cream, icing sugar and limoncello in a bowl until the mixture forms soft peaks then spoon it into a small serving bowl. Top with the reserved lemon zest. Use the brandy snap curls to scoop the lemon cream as a treat to share or as a dessert.

Lemon and pistachio cheesecake pots

No-bake cheesecakes are one of my guilty pleasures. I used to make these pots for my sister and me when we were young, and she’d always be in awe of how quickly I could create a cheesecake. We’d try different flavours, depending on what we had in the cupboard, but this is my favourite: creamy lemon and vibrant green pistachios with a layer of luscious lemon curd peeking through in the centre. Try this recipe with any combination of curd or nuts to tailor it to any fussy family member!

MAKES 2 CHEESECAKE POTS

PREP TIME: 15 MINS PLUS CHILLING TIME

COOKING TIME: 2 MINS

BASE

25g butter

60g digestive biscuits

40g pistachio nuts, plus extra to decorate

FILLING

200g full-fat cream cheese

Grated zest and juice of 1/ 2unwaxed lemon

2 tbsp icing sugar

2 tbsp lemon curd

1 To make the base, melt the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan. Place the digestive biscuits in a small food processor with the pistachios and blitz until the biscuits and the nuts are crushed. If you haven’t got a food processor, crush the biscuits to a powder by putting them in a bag and bashing them with a rolling pin. Finely chop the nuts with a sharp knife and combine them with the crushed biscuits. Place the ground biscuits and nuts in a bowl and stir in the melted butter. Divide the mixture between 2 small glasses and press it down into an even layer. Transfer to the fridge to chill.

2 Beat the cream cheese for the filling with the lemon juice and icing sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Stir through half the lemon zest, reserving the rest for decoration.

3 Divide half the cream cheese mixture between the biscuit bases, then top with the lemon curd. Finish with the rest of the cream cheese mixture. Top with the rest of the lemon zest and a few chopped pistachio nuts. You can eat these desserts straight away or make up to 3 days ahead and keep them in the fridge.

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