Gourmet Greatrix

The lemon zest in this ganache makes an unusual flavouring. The lemon zest which is rich in essential oil transmits a lemon perfume without any of the acidity of lemon juice which would mar the chocolate flavour. Use the ganache to fill and decorate the Lemon Scented White Cake.

A perfect way to showcase the lemon's tart flavour is in lemon curd. Traditionally it was served with scones at afternoon tea, but it's uses are not limited to only being used as a spread, it makes a delicious filling for many things including trifles, tarts, and cakes. Or you can simply spread on hot buttered toast!

This wonderful marmalade is a great accompaniment to many dishes. The use of balsamic adds a woody sweetness in addition to the tangy acidity. I often serve it with sautéed duck breast, or a nice juicy steak. It's also a delicious topping for bruschetta, pizza or used in sandwiches, try it with a tangy goats cheese. The possibilities are endless.

Fresh Pesto is such a simple thing to make and the result is far superior to the store bought variety. The main downside to making it yourself is that you end up with far more than you will use before the basil loses it's wonderful green colour and turns black. I get around this problem by freezing left-overs in an ice cube try and then transferring to a zip lock bag. Pesto cubes can then be easily defrosted as you need them. Pesto spread on pizza dough and baked thin and crispy with lots of mozzarella is one of my all time favourites.