5 EPIC recipes containing Citrus!

Lemons, oranges, limes, tangerines, clementines the list is endless! Yet, only a few experiment with citrus in their bakes. It can be used in varied ways and adds zing and some oomph to anything. From the zest of a clementine to the juice of a key lime; here are 5 epic/crazy/fun recipes that use citrus in more ways than you imagined :)

1. Sicilian Whole Orange Cake

This one is a humble cake- made traditionally from an entire Sicilian orange.  This cake originates in the Sicily region of Italy. Oranges, especially the red blood varieties, are plentiful in the wintertime there, and this is a wonderful way to use up an entire one! The conditions are perfect for making delicious, juicy, vitamin-rich, red oranges; they’re considered the “red gold of Sicily.”

Similar to a pound cake in texture, it is relatively dense, filled with both the bitterness and scent of the orange that pairs perfectly with a warm cup of tea.

RECIPE: Sicilian Whole Orange Cake - Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking

Source: Bigger Bolder Baking

2. Limoncello

Limoncello is a lemon based liqueur that is full of bright Italian oranges and is commonly served chilled. Made by steeping lemon zest (peels) in vodka until oil is released, then mixing the resulting yellow liquid with simple syrup; creates the perfect summertime beverage. There is also another variation called "Crema de Limoncello" that uses a sweetened mixture of creamy/dairy instead of the simple syrup. This beverage is mostly found in the region of Naples, where it is surely a favourite.

RECIPE: Crema di Limoncello Recipe (simplyrecipes.com)

Source: Google

3. Candied Citrus Peel

Bring all your citrus peels- oranges, limes and lemons because it is time for candied peel! A staple in Christmas baking, candied citrus peel is made by simply dipping the peels in sugar syrup and letting them dehydrate. What you get is an amalgamation of bitter, sweet and sour notes that compliment any fruit cake.

RECIPE: https://www.marthastewart.com/355599/candied-citrus-peel

Source: Martha Stewart

4. Kaffir Lime Lime Panna Cotta with Coconut

Panna Cotta is the most authentic Italian dessert you can get! Made with sweetened cream that has been thickened with gelatin and molded, it is surely the fanciest dessert in town! It only gets better when the zest of kaffir limes is added with a scintilla of toasted coconut- leaving you wanting more. Kaffir limes (native to Southeast Asia) are renowned for their incredible scent and citrusy fragrance- making them perfect to pair with the delicate texture of a Panna Cotta. If not kaffir limes, try it with your local key limes!

RECIPE: Coconut And Kaffir Lime Panna Cotta With An Asian Twist (recipewinners.com)

Source: RecipeWinners

   

5. Basbousa Cake

Originally from Turkey, this is a semolina based cake that is baked with blanched almonds on top and then soaked in orange simple syrup. Similar to a baklava in its concept, it simply uses semolina instead of the phyllo used in baklava and then is soaked in orange simple syrup. Common variation these days also include toasted coconut in the batter for some added zing. Switch things up by using any alternative citrus and see what you get :) Don't forget to cut it in rhombuses before baking it- just like it is done traditionally!

RECIPE: Famous Middle Eastern Dessert Basbousa Recipe ♥️ | Easiest way to make Basbousa - YouTube

Source: Curry and Vanilla

And that brings us to the end of this week's article. I hope this has opened new horizons in your mind about how citrus can be used beyond the well-known (but extremely good) citrus desserts!
Let me know your thought below.