Simply the zest: Michelle Darmody digs into yuzu and other citrus fruits
Yuzu is a citrus fruit from Asia that is particularly popular in Japan. It is a cross between lemon and lime with a slight hint of mandarin. We do not generally see them on shop shelves in Ireland but you can buy bottled yuzu juice — it is becoming ever more popular with chefs. The bottled juice is quite intense in flavour so you do not need too much, it can be used in either sweet or savoury cooking. Yuzu juice is good substitute for orange blossom water as it adds a similar floral note to desserts.
When buying a bottle watch out for the percentage of juice: I much prefer using one that is 100% juice rather than the weaker flavoured juices.
If you do come across a fresh yuzu fruit, it will most likely be in an Asian grocery shop. They can be used when they are either green or yellow, and look like a cross between a grapefruit and a lemon but with a slightly more wrinkled skin. If you scratch and sniff the skin it will tell you if they are ripe, they should have a strong citrusy fragrance and the skin should be firm springing back into shape when lightly pressed.
All of the recipes included here use the bottled juice.
- 180g plain flour
- 80g golden caster sugar
- 90g cold butter, cubed
- 1 egg and 2 extra yolks
- 100mls yuzu juice
- 50mls lemon juice and the zest of 4 lemons
- 225g golden caster sugar
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 300g butter
Rub the butter and the flour together until it feels like rough breadcrumbs.
Mix most of the eggs and sugar together and stir this through the flour mixture with a fork until it forms a dough. Keep a very small amount of egg so you can brush it onto the pastry later. Knead the dough lightly and wrap it in baking parchment and place into the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.
Preheat your oven to 180°C and line the base of a 9-inch tart tin with parchment. Grease and flour the edges.
Roll the pastry into a disc that is just larger than your tart tin and about 3 mm in depth. Gently lower it into the tart and let it fall into place, prick it all over with a fork. I usually leave a little over the edges and trim it after baking. Cover in parchment with either dried beans or coins. Bake the pastry blind for ten minutes then remove the beans. Brush with the egg and place back into the oven for a further five minutes. Gently trim any pastry that is overlapping the tin. Set aside to cool.
Mix the yuzu juice, lemon juice and zest together and set aside. Beat the sugar and eggs until they are turning pale, add in the butter and continue to beat until they are all combined. Slowly add in the juice mixture.
Scoop the filling into the pastry case and bake for about 25 minutes until it is almost set but with a very slight wobble in the centre.
Allow to completely cool in the tin.
- 240mls cream
- 60g golden caster sugar
- 2 tbs yuzu juice
- the zest of a lime
Place the cream and sugar into a heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Slowly bring to the boil. Allow to simmer for about string all of the time until the sugar has melted, allow to bubble for a further minute.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the yuzu juice and zest straight away. The mixture should thicken as you do. Pour into four glasses or bowls and allow to set in the fridge for about three hours.
- 125g cornflour
- 175g self-raising flour
- 50g icing sugar
- 225g cold butter, cubed
- 2 tsp yuzu juice
Mix the cornflour with the flour and icing sugar. Rub in the butter until it forms rough bread crumbs. Add the yuzu juice and bring the dough together. Roll it into a sausage shape and wrap it in baking parchment. Place into the fridge to firm up.
Preheat your oven to 170°C and line a large flat baking tray with parchment.
Slice the sausage shape into discs of about a half a centimetre in thickness and place them on the prepared tray, leaving room for the biscuits to spread.
Bake for about 12 minutes until just turning golden. Once cool enough to handle transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.
