Why must the lemons stand for 12 hours?

The lemon slices are sprinkled with the ground sugar (250 g) and should steep for 12 hours, so the sugar draws out juice and softens the paper-thin slices. They then simmer gently for 20 minutes over the heat and are cooled.

How long should the eggs be whipped?

The eggs are whipped for one hour with the powdered sugar (250 g) before the ground almonds with vanilla are mixed in. Feel free to use an electric mixer instead of a hand whisk.

How is the cake assembled and baked?

A greased, round pan with a loose bottom is lined with puff pastry. The lemon mixture is placed in the bottom, the almond batter is poured over, and the cake is baked in a hot oven for 1 hour. It can be garnished with toasted almonds.

Where does the recipe come from?

From Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914), page 521, in the chapter on dessert cakes. Given for 10 servings.

Lemon Cake (gâteaux aux citrons)

Name: Lemon Cake (gâteaux aux citrons)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 13 h
Total time: 14 h
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: 6 pcs lemons; 250 g sugar (finely ground, for the lemons); 250 g sweet almonds; 1 pcs vanilla bean; 6 pcs eggs; 250 g powdered sugar; 300 g puff pastry (to line the pan); toasted almonds (for garnish); 1 tsp cold water (a little at a time when grinding the almonds)

Lemon tart from Erken's Stor kokebok 1914: paper-thin lemon slices steep in sugar for 12 hours and are cooked 20 minutes, then laid in a puff-pastry-lined pan under an airy mixture of 6 eggs, 250 g powdered sugar and 250 g almonds ground with vanilla, and baked 1 hour in a hot oven.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 521 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

The recipe appears in the chapter "Cakes for dessert" in Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914). The French subtitle points to the continental model for such lemon tarts, which were popular in finer party baking around the turn of the century.

How to make it

1
Steep the lemons in sugar
Peel the lemons and remove all the white. Cut them crosswise into paper-thin slices and sprinkle the ground sugar over them. Let them stand and steep for 12 hours.
2
Cook the lemon mixture
Set the lemons with the sugar over low heat and let them simmer gently for 20 minutes. Cool.
3
The almond mixture
Blanch and skin the almonds. Grind them finely together with the vanilla bean, adding 1 tsp of cold water now and then so the mixture does not turn oily.
4
The egg mixture
Whip the eggs with the powdered sugar into a thick, pale mixture (the original says 1 hour; with an electric mixer about 10–15 minutes). Mix in the ground almonds.
5
Fill the pan
Grease a round pan with a loose bottom and line it with puff pastry. Place the lemon mixture in the bottom and pour the almond mixture over it.
6
Bake
Bake in a hot oven, about 175 °C (345 °F), for 1 hour until the cake is golden and firm. Garnish with toasted almonds if desired.

Changes from the original

Amounts have been converted to grams and deciliters/pieces according to modern practice (1/4 kg = 250 g). The puff pastry is given as an amount (approx. 300 g, preferably store-bought). The baking temperature is estimated at 175 °C (345 °F), since the original only says "hot oven." The language of the method has been modernized, but the content is unchanged.

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Frequently asked questions

Why must the lemons stand for 12 hours?: The lemon slices are sprinkled with the ground sugar (250 g) and should steep for 12 hours, so the sugar draws out juice and softens the paper-thin slices. They then simmer gently for 20 minutes over the heat and are cooled.
How long should the eggs be whipped?: The eggs are whipped for one hour with the powdered sugar (250 g) before the ground almonds with vanilla are mixed in. Feel free to use an electric mixer instead of a hand whisk.
How is the cake assembled and baked?: A greased, round pan with a loose bottom is lined with puff pastry. The lemon mixture is placed in the bottom, the almond batter is poured over, and the cake is baked in a hot oven for 1 hour. It can be garnished with toasted almonds.
Where does the recipe come from?: From Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914), page 521, in the chapter on dessert cakes. Given for 10 servings.

Equipment for this dish

Stand mixer →Erken kneaded and whisked by hand for ages – a stand mixer does the work for you.Engrospris.no

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