Ingredients

The following ingredients have 10 Servings
  • 2 lemons
  • 1 passion fruit (optional)
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 50g unsalted butter, diced
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 200g soft unsalted butter
  • 4 medium eggs, at room temperature
  • 200g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 x 250g tub mascarpone
  • 50g icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
  • 200ml double cream

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease and line 2 x 18cm sponge tins.
  • Grate the zest from both lemons. Divide equally between a heatproof bowl for the curd, and a mixing bowl for the sponge. Squeeze the juice from 11⁄2 lemons and add to the curd bowl, then scoop in the pulp and seeds from the passion fruit, if using. Beat the eggs and add to the same bowl, with the sugar, butter and a small pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then place over a pan of very gently simmering water. Stirring regularly, let the curd cook and thicken until it coats the back of a spoon (this will take 15-20 minutes, but keep an eye on it and make sure that it doesn’t get too hot or the eggs will scramble). Sieve into a bowl, cover and leave to cool.
  • Meanwhile, make the sponge. Add the sugar, butter and a pinch of salt to the zest in the mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream until very soft and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour with each one. Sift in the remaining flour and baking powder, add the milk and the juice of the remaining 1⁄2 lemon and fold together to make a batter that drops easily from the spoon.
  • Divide equally between the sponge tins, level the surfaces and bake for 20-25 minutes until the sponges are well-risen and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool on a wire rack
  • For the filling, tip the mascarpone into a mixing bowl and add the icing sugar and vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat together. Initially the mascarpone will start to liquefy; keep on beating and it will thicken again. Add the cream and beat until the filling is holding soft folds; take care not to overbeat (add a little milk or extra cream if it does get too thick).
  • To assemble, place one sponge on a serving plate and spread with half the mascarpone filling. Spoon on about two-thirds of the lemon curd, then add the second sponge on top. Spread this with the remaining mascarpone cream and drizzle with the rest of the curd. Serve in quite small slices, as this is rich.