Bill Yosses's Lemon Poundcake
- 9 lemons
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
- 6 large eggs
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- Raspberry coulis, optional
- Mint ice, optional
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, line with parchment or waxed paper.
- Grease paper.
- Grate zest of 4 lemons; slice tops and bottoms off 3 (reserve fourth).
- Stand lemons on end on a cutting board, and cut away white pith until the flesh is exposed.
- Over a bowl, cut segments from membranes, letting fruit and juice fall into bowl (remove seeds).
- With fork, break segments into 1-inch pieces.
- Sift flour, superfine sugar and baking powder into the bowl of an electric mixer.
- Begin mixing on low speed, then add creme fraiche or cream.
- Increase speed to medium, and beat in eggs, one at a time, then butter.
- Gently fold lemon segments and juices and 3 tablespoons zest into batter.
- Scrape into pan, and bake 15 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut an incision lengthwise down middle of cake, and bake 30 minutes longer.
- Lower oven to 325 degrees, and bake 40 to 45 minutes longer, or until a tester comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, juice the remaining 6 lemons.
- Put granulated and confectioners' sugars in a pot, and add 1 1/2 cups water.
- Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves.
- Stir in lemon juice and remaining zest, and let cool.
- When cake is done, put pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
- Raise oven to 350 degrees.
- Unmold cake, and transfer it to a pie pan or deep dish.
- Pour lemon syrup over cake, and very gently squeeze the cake to help it absorb syrup.
- Carefully turn cake upside down in syrup, and squeeze a bit more.
- Put cake on a baking sheet; return to oven for 10 minutes.
- Cool on a rack.
- To serve, lightly toast 1/2-inch slices of the cake.
- If desired, put raspberry coulis on each serving plate.
- Place two slices of cake on top and a scoop of mint ice on top of cake.
lemons, flour, sugar, baking powder, creme fraiche, eggs, unsalted butter, sugar, sugar, raspberry coulis, mint ice
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5346 (may not work)