Best Meyer Lemon Custard Cups Recipes

MEYER LEMON CUSTARD CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Butter eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups. Whisk 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, and pinch of salt in medium bowl to blend. Combine milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl; whisk until blended. Add flour mixture to yolk mixture and whisk custard until blended. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar to whites and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into custard. Fold remaining whites into custard in 2 additions (custard will be slightly runny).
• Divide custard equally among prepared ramekins. Place ramekins in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake custard cakes until golden brown and set on top (custard cakes will be slightly soft in center), about 27 minutes. Chill custard cakes uncovered until cold, at least 4 hours, then cover and keep refrigerated. DO AHEAD: Custard cakes can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Using electric mixer, beat crème fraîche in medium bowl until softly whipped.
• Run small knife around each custard cake to loosen. Invert each cake onto plate. Place dollop of crème fraîche atop or alongside cakes and serve.

MEYER LEMON MOUSSE CUPS

Steps:

• Using a paring knife, trim the tip end from a lemon so the fruit sits level. Cut stem end 1/4 of the way down lemon (or cut in a decorative pattern). Repeat process with 7 more lemons.
• Hold a cut and trimmed lemon over a sieve set over a liquid-measuring cup. Using a reamer, squeeze juice, and set juice aside. Scoop out flesh with a spoon (do not puncture lemon skin), and discard flesh. Repeat with remaining cut lemons. Measure 1/4 cup juice, and set aside. Reserve remaining juice for another use. Cover lemon shells with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. With a grater, remove zest from half of the remaining lemon; cover zest with plastic, and set aside.
• Make lemon curd: Place egg yolks, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 6 tablespoons sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Whisk to combine. Set pan over medium heat; stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and edges of the saucepan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Pass mixture through a fine sieve set over a medium bowl. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in reserved lemon zest. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• In a medium bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks with a handheld electric mixer. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Clean the whisk attachments. In a second medium bowl, with a handheld electric mixer, whip egg whites and a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Sprinkle in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue whipping until stiff glossy peaks form. Set aside.
• Remove lemon curd and whipped cream from refrigerator. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into curd to lighten the curd. With a large rubber spatula, gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whipped cream. Fold in whipped egg whites.
• Remove lemon shells from refrigerator. Transfer mousse to a medium pastry bag fitted with a coupler, and pipe into lemon shells. Chill until set, a minimum of 1 hour or overnight.