How to Preserve Lemons & Limes

Following on from my Coconut & Lime Cupcake Recipe, here are some ways that I have been preserving limes from my abundant crop this year.

I don't use limes that often in winter (as it is in Australia right now). I use them in summer for Thai salads, drinks and desserts. So I decided to preserve the limes now by freezing them, so I have them ready for summer.

I started out simply juicing the limes I had picked. Then filling ice-cube trays with the juice, covering the trays and freezing them overnight.

This would have been a lot easier with an electric juicer!

I then added those frozen lime ice cubes to zip-lock bags, marked the date and returned them to the freezer. I can now defrost the lime juice when I need it for a salad dressing, marinade or a Mojito!

I also experimented with cutting limes into slices and wedges and freezing them. I'm thinking I can add these 'limesicles' to a water jug on a hot summers afternoon.

None of these techniques are rocket science, but I thought I'd share my experiments with you. The same techniques work for lemons. The lime juice and pieces will freeze for up to six months.

The same techniques can be used for mangoes (flesh) and passionfruit (pulp).

The rest of the limes I have bagged-up and given to friends.

So if you do receive some fruit from a friend or neighbour, or you have a bountiful tree, I hope some of these techniques will come into good use.

Happy preserving.

Elise

Next post: Make your own vintage cake stands.

FREE Printable Father's Day Card

Sweet Scarlet Father's Day FREE Printable Card - great for the kids to give to Dad

Download this FREE PDf file below.

Hello to Sweet Scarlet friends in the UK & US!

Happy Father's Day for this Sunday, June 19. (It's not Father's Day until September in Australia).

To celebrate, I have designed this cute card, perfect for the kids to give to Dad.

I have printed it on an 'earthy' paper stock, but you can print it on whatever you like.

Enjoy & happy Father's Day to all the dads!
Elise

DOWNLOAD:
Please use the links below to choose your paper size to download. You will be directed to the Scribd website. Click "Download" to download the PDF file to your computer. Then print, trim & create!

• US Letter size paper
• A4 sized paper

PDF file which you will download from Scribd.

Coconut & Lime Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream

I have an abundance of limes at the moment. My Kaffir Lime tree has gone crazy again this season.

This year I am determined to make the most of them and have been using the limes for guacamole, in curries (leaves, zest & juice), on pancakes, over Thai fish and now cupcakes.

This recipe is delicious and it might seem like a heavy recipe, but this cupcake is light and fresh. The lime syrup makes a great addition and the cooling cream cheese in the buttercream balances all the tartness and the sweetness.

Enjoy!

Coconut & Lime Cupcakes

1 cup self-raising flour (add 1 tspn baking powder if using all-purpose flour)
3/4 cup caster sugar (superfine)
1/3 cup shredded (or desiccated) coconut
100g (3 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
100ml (3.5 fl.oz) plain yoghurt
100ml (3.5fl.oz) milk
1 tblspn grated lemon zest

1. Pre-heat oven to 170C/325F
2. Line baking pan with cupcake cases.
3. Beat butter for 3 minutes with electric stand or hand mixer. Add sugar and beat until pale & fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.
5. Combine yoghurt, and coconut in another bowl, add milk.
6. Add yoghurt mixture to butter, sugar & egg mixture. Mix well.
7. Add lime zest & mix.
8. Fold in sifted flour hand and mix by hand using a spatula until just combined. Do not over mix.
9. Spoon mixture evenly into cupcake cases.
10. Bake on middle shelf of oven for approx. 20 mins or until tops of cakes are springy.
11. Remove from oven and brush tops with lime syrup (see below) while cupcakes are still warm.
12. Allow to cupcakes sit for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Lime Syrup

75ml (2.5 fl.oz) fresh squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup sugar

1. Bring water and sugar to boil in small saucepan over moderate heat. 
2. Remove from heat.
3. Allow to cool before using.

Cream Cheese Buttercream

125g (4oz.) softened butter

100g (3oz) cream cheese
3 to 4 cups icing (confectioners) sugar

1. Beat butter until pale with an electric stand or hand mixer.
2. Add cream cheese and beat well.
3. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, beating well between additions.
4. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk if required.

Pipe buttercream onto cupcakes and top with grated lime zest and lime sections sprinkled with caster (superfine) sugar.

I hope you have a chance to try out this recipe ... it's a good one!

Elise

Next post: How to Preserve Lemons & Limes