CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park, Melbourne’s newest venue located in the heart of Melbourne & Olympic Park’s events precinct, is welcoming the end of lockdown and celebrating some of the outstanding growers, farmers and talent that Victoria has on offer with a dessert Masterclass on its exclusive Melbourne-inspired Marvellous Melbourne Lemon Pie.
Teaming up with renowned Australian Pastry Chef and Director of CACAO, Tim Clark, the new venue has released the delicious recipe, as a sneak peek into its new menu, ahead of opening next year.
Marvellous Melbourne Lemon Pie
Ingredients
● 4 Lemons
● 6–7 Free range eggs (medium-sized)
● 260g Honey
● 330g Unsalted butter
● 250mL Fresh thickened cream
● ½ tsp Vanilla extract (or ½ vanilla bean pod)
● 290g Caster sugar
● 220g Plain flour
● 100g Flaked almonds
● ¼ tsp Ground ginger
Note: for those looking to further embrace Victoria’s seasonal flavours, garnish with a handful of fresh mint and raspberries.
Step One: Lemon Curd
Method:
1. Firstly, separate 6–7 free range eggs, as you’ll need 150mL of egg yolks for this recipe. Note, you
can set aside the egg whites in a lidded container and place in the fridge for future use.
2. In a separate bowl, juice 4 lemons to extract 150mL of lemon juice.
3. In a saucepan, add the lemon juice,150g of unsalted butter and 150g of caster sugar. Place over
medium heat, and slowly whisk the mixture until it begins to bubble.
4. Take the saucepan off the heat and slowly whisk in the egg yolks. Place the mixture back on
medium heat, continuously whisking until the mix begins to boil.
5. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour through a sieve or strainer into a bowl, cover with a
top, and place in the refrigerator for three hours or until chilled.
Step Two: Almond Crumble
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C
2. Meanwhile, take 50g of unsalted butter (at room temperature) and cut into small pieces.
3. Place in a mixing bowl with 50g of caster sugar and 100g of plain flour.
4. Massage the butter through the sugar and flour with your fingertips until it resembles
breadcrumbs, then mix in the 100g of flaked almonds, trying not to overly crush them.
5. Transfer the crumble to a baking tray lined with baking paper and evenly spread out the mixture.
6. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
Step Three: Chantilly Cream
Method:
1. Place ½ a teaspoon of vanilla extract in a large bowl. Or, if using vanilla bean, split lengthwise
with the tip of a sharp knife. Holding the pod open, scrape seeds from each half using the flat side
of the knife. Transfer seeds to a large bowl and discard the pod.
2. Then, pour 250mL of fresh thickened cream over the vanilla extract or seeds. Add 1 tablespoon
of honey, and extra vanilla extract if desired.
3. Whisk by hand until the cream is thick and stiff peaks have formed (you can also use an electric
whisk if available). Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and keep chilled until serving.
Note, for those really looking to up your game, you can also make a Meringue instead of Chantilly Cream.
Try using your egg whites from step one, and with an electric whisk for 5 minutes, gradually add a cup of
sugar until the mix thickens. Then, place in the oven at 100°C for one hour.
Step Four: Baked Honey & Ginger Snap
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C and set up two baking trays with baking parchment.
2. Put 130g of unsalted butter, 240g of caster sugar and 6 tablespoons of honey in a saucepan and
heat gently until the butter and sugar have melted.
3. Meanwhile, mix 120g of flour, ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger and zest ¼ of a lemon (can use the
peels from the squeezed lemons) in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the butter
mixture and gradually mix it into the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
4. Use a teaspoon to dollop the mixture onto the baking tray, each piece should be roughly the size
of a 20-cent piece. Space them well apart as they will spread when baking. In the pre-heated
oven, bake in batches for 8–10 mins until set, golden brown and lacy in appearance. Remove
from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool enough to touch, gently transfer honey snaps to a
cooling rack using a spatula to slide underneath each piece.
5. Assemble dessert straight away or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
As this is a deconstruction of a lemon pie there is no right or wrong way to plate up and assemble. Try
creating layers of components much like a dessert tower, this will allow even distribution of flavours and
textures that can be experienced in every bite. However, the easiest trick to assembling this dessert is to
just go for it! With true Melbourne flair, let loose your creative side!
Serves 6–8
Preparation time: 1.5 hours
