Get lemons, make lemonade

Lemon trees are prolific fruit bearers in winter and through into spring and summer. If you can’t give them away, try a few of these ideas…

Bake
Lemons add sweetness and tartness to baking so think lemon cake, muffins, slices, biscuits, a sprinkle of zest in or on baked goodies, and also a drizzle of home-made lemon syrup. Don’t forget lemon tarts and lemon meringue pie.

Make marmalade
A change from traditional orange and grapefruit marmalades, the lemon variety is tangy and zingy on the tastebuds, and aside from livening up your morning toast, can be used numerous ways for delicious desserts and baking too.

Preserve them
Bottling lemons means you can enjoy them long after their season has closed. Try Annabel Langbein’s easy preserving recipe, after which you can use them in a myriad of dishes especially Moroccan cuisine, stews and tagines.

Lemon Curd
Homemade lemon curd is another easy way to use up surplus lemons. Ingredients include butter, eggs and juicy lemons. If you’re making a Pavlova, save the egg yolks and make lemon curd. It tastes great as a pav topping.

Lemonade
Lemons make a great variety of thirst-quenching drinks such as homemade lemonade, lemon cordial and even limoncello if you’re game. Packed full of Vitamin C, they also make a revitalising hot toddy mixed with honey and hot water.