Lemon Cartouche: A Dessert Worthy Of Royalty

With some resemblance to the original lemon tart, the lemon torte contains egg and sugar, and a cream that is placed directly on top of the biscuits. This recipe of French origin is a candy that we can all make in the comfort of our kitchen.

Lemon Top Ingredients

To prepare it, the main thing is to have a can of cream, condensed milk, and at least two packages of biscuits. These cookies are neutral, egg-based and with a characteristic sweetness; they will define the consistency of our dessert.

As for the dimensions of the condensed milk can, it should contain about 360 ml. However, commercially available cans usually contain 397 g. In turn, the amount of biscuits must be 170 g.

Of course, you can’t miss the main ingredient: lemon. About six or eight units (1 kg) will be enough to give us the amount of juice we need for this sweet. The actual measure needed is about 16 tablespoons of juice, which is equivalent to 200 ml.

Optionally, we can enhance the flavor with half a can of cream (225 g) and also 2 teaspoons of powdered cinnamon. These are additional ingredients and are not needed to create the original recipe; everything will depend on the taste of each cook and guests.

Lemon Top Recipe

1. The first step is to squeeze the lemons to obtain their characteristic acidic juice.
2. The juice must be placed in a glass container with a certain depth, so that we can mix it with the other ingredients.
3. Then add the cream and condensed milk.
4. It is necessary that the mixture is very homogeneous, so it is recommended to use an electric mixer.
5. After we get a compact mixture, just make the layers of the lemon topping.
6. To do this, take a refractory mold and place a first layer of Maria cookies, placed one on top of the other.
7. After they are like a bed, pour some of the cream on top.
8. On top of the cream, place the second layer of Maria cookies, the same way we did the first time.
9. On this new layer, place the remaining lemon cream. As it will be on top, this layer should be a little thicker, giving the candy a strong lemon flavor.

At the end, take it to the freezer

The good news is that since the cookies are ready, we won’t be using the oven at all. Simply bring the lemon cart to the freezer. The minimum exposure time to intense cold will be 30 minutes for the dessert to solidify.

Some people prefer to leave the pie in the fridge for a whole day, avoiding the use of the freezer. You can choose one of the two options, although leaving the dessert in the fridge for a whole day has better results, as this way the cream hardens evenly, without freezing only on the edges.

Before serving, we can decorate with a little lemon zest to taste. If you like, finish with white chocolate chips. These additional ingredients enhance both the flavor and aesthetics of the candy; there is also the possibility of covering it with whipped cream.

The Lemon Cartridge, a dessert attributed to two queens

Some versions claim that this dessert has its origin in England, during the rule of King George III. According to this story, the dessert would be named after his wife, Carlota de Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

A second version says that the dessert’s inventor, Marie-Antoine Carême, made it by changing the recipe for a dessert called Russian charlotte. The cart would be named after the wife of Tsar Nicolai I; it would be the name of Carlota of Prussia.

Both historical figures were contemporary and dominated the most powerful nations on the planet. We may never know for sure which of the two ladies we should name this dessert, but its flavor has elevated it, since its creation, to the status of royalty in the confectionery world.