For little moments of happiness: Lemon cake with crispy pastry lattice

This lemon cake invites you to take a moment and savor every bite consciously. With its artistic lattice, the cake looks particularly elegant and festive. The combination of creamy filling and tender shortcrust base creates a well-rounded, balanced taste experience.

Ingredients (for one cake)

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 300 g flour (Type 405)
• 150 g cold butter
• 80 g powdered sugar
• 2 egg yolks (room temperature)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2-3 tbsp ice-cold water

For the lemon cream:

• 3 organic lemons (juice and zest)
• 150 g sugar
• 3 eggs + 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
• 80 g cold butter, cubed
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 pinch of salt

For finishing:

• 1 egg yolk for brushing
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• A few mint leaves

Kitchen utensils: Springform pan (24 cm), mixing bowl, hand mixer, whisk, dough scraper, plastic wrap, rolling pin, zester, lemon squeezer, measuring cup, kitchen scale, parchment paper, cooling rack, sieve

Preparation (90 minutes)

1. Sift the flour with the powdered sugar and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Cut the ice-cold butter into small cubes and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until a crumbly, sandy mixture forms. Quickly work in the egg yolks and cold water and form everything into a smooth, supple dough - knead as little as possible so the dough stays nice and tender. Divide the dough into two thirds and one third, wrap both portions in plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
2. While the dough is resting, prepare the lemon cream. Wash the lemons in hot water, dry them and finely grate the zest. Squeeze out the juice and heat it together with sugar, eggs, egg yolk, cornstarch and a pinch of salt in a small pot over medium heat, stirring constantly - the mixture must not boil. As soon as the cream thickens noticeably, remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the cold butter cubes one at a time until a smooth, glossy mixture forms. Fold in the lemon zest and let the cream cool completely - it will firm up further as it cools to the desired jam-like consistency.
3. Preheat the oven to 175°C conventional heat. Grease the springform pan and line it with parchment paper. Roll out the larger portion of dough on a lightly floured work surface into a circle that extends generously beyond the bottom and rim of the pan. Carefully lift the dough into the pan, press it down evenly and pull the edge up about 3 cm. Pierce the bottom several times with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
4. Spread the lemon cream evenly on the dough base. Roll out the smaller portion of dough and cut it with a sharp knife or pastry wheel into even strips about 1.5 cm wide. Place these strips in a lattice pattern over the filling: first lay parallel strips in one direction, then place the remaining strips at right angles over them. Press the ends of the strips firmly to the dough edge.
5. Whisk the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and gently brush the lattice and rim with it - this creates a beautiful golden-brown surface during baking. Bake the cake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes until the lattice is evenly golden brown and glossy. Let the finished baked cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then release the rim and let the cake cool completely on a cooling rack.

Serving tips

Present the cake on a light-colored cake plate or a simple wooden board. Dust generously with powdered sugar just before serving. Arrange thinly sliced lemon slices or some fresh mint leaves as decoration next to the cake.

Beverage recommendation

• An ice-cold limoncello with prosecco extends the citrus notes of the cake in an elegant way and brings southern Italian flair to the coffee table.
• As an alcohol-free alternative, a homemade lemon-ginger tea is convincing.

Recipe variations

• Some raspberries or blueberries in the lemon cream provide a fruity color and flavor contrast.
• For a gluten-free version, the wheat flour can be replaced with a mixture of rice flour and ground almonds, with half a teaspoon of xanthan providing the binding.

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