Dessert of the Week, Part II

A Friday tradition is indeed born. When I think of summer desserts, I get all sugared up with visions of anything lemon. Lavender lemonade? Check. Lemon merengue pie? Mhm. Lemon sugar cookies with a subtle rosemary infusion? Uh huh!!

But by far, my favorite lemon dessert is the incomparable Lemon Sabayon Tart.

"Sabayon" is basically a method in which you combine and cook the eggs, lemon juice and sugar OVER (not IN) hot water to thicken before adding butter. This creates a deliciously tart, rich, curd-like lemon filling.

The tried and true recipe that wins hearts (my own included) is Thomas Keller's, which also incorporates a pine nut crust.

Serving variations include blackberries (or blackberry sorbet) & whipped cream, orange and lemon peel to garnish, or this exotic alternative, which is my personal favorite, a side of homemade whip (which is simply 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, beat in mixer, do not overmix!!) and a side of cardamom syrup--my own recipe below.

Cardamom Syrup

long peel from 1 naval orange + 2 orange slices

peel from 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon crushed cardamom (in my experience, tastes better if you crush it yrself from the pods)

3 cups water

1 1/4 cups sugar

dollop of honey

1 cinnamon stick

Add cardamom, orange peel strip, and orange slices to saucepan. Add the water, sugar, lemon peel, honey and cinnamon stick. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer on very low for about 45 minutes to let flavors infuse. Cool the syrup for 10-20 minutes, then strain and discard peels, oranges and cinnamon stick.

Image: Dorie Greenspan's amazing website! Check her out!