How are we at the final episode of Tom Kerridge Cooks Italy already? After five weeks of seriously good pasta, comforting dinners and more than a few new M&S finds – hello, truffle butter – Tom is finishing the series on a sweet note.
Tonight (ITV, 7.30pm), he’s making a gloriously zesty Victoria sponge with lemon curd and candied lemons. Think fluffy sponge, sharp lemon notes and a sweet, citrusy finish. Yum! It’s exactly the kind of cake we can see ourselves tucking into over the bank holiday weekend.
Tom Kerridge Cooks Italy Episode 6: Sicily
For his final stop, Tom is in Sicily – and frankly, we’re a little jealous. First up are the island’s famous Syracuse lemons, which Tom sees being picked by hand before learning why they’re so prized by cooks.
The ones you’ll need for his cake are M&S Organic Unwaxed Lemons (£2.25, 550g), and Tom certainly doesn’t hold back on the citrus. He layers his Victoria sponge with lemon curd before finishing it with candied lemons for an extra hit of sweetness and zing. If ever there was an excuse to get the cake tins out, this is it.
And because one spectacular Sicilian ingredient apparently isn’t enough for the finale, blood oranges are up next. Tom heads towards Mount Etna to find out how they’re grown before turning M&S Collection Blood Oranges (£3, 860g) into a punchy vinaigrette for his juicy roast chicken and fennel salad. Our bank holiday menu is shaping up pretty nicely.
Sold on the sponge? Read on for Tom’s full recipe and ingredients.
What to read next
Tom’s Victoria Sponge with Lemon Curd and Candied Lemons
Serves: 10
Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
For the candied lemon peel
1 M&S Organic unwaxed lemon
4 tbsp golden caster sugar
6 tbsp granulated sugar
For the lemon curd
2 M&S Organic unwaxed lemons, zest and juice
150g golden caster sugar
2 M&S free-range large eggs
2 M&S free-range egg yolks, (keep the whites for another recipe)
100g M&S Remarksable Value unsalted butter, diced, cold
For the Victoria Sponge cake
225g M&S Remarksable Value unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
225g golden caster sugar
4 M&S free-range large eggs
1 tsp vanilla paste
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp M&S Remarksable Value whole milk
50ml limoncello liqueur
For the vanilla cream
450ml double cream
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp vanilla paste
Method
- Peel long strips of zest from the lemon, trim away any pith and slice into thin strips. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Heat the caster sugar with 100ml water and the juice of half the lemon until dissolved, add the zest and simmer for 10 minutes until translucent. Lift on to the tray to dry, toss in granulated sugar and set aside.
- Rub the lemon zest and sugar together, then whisk in the 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks. Pour into a pan with the juice of 1 lemon, cook over a medium low heat, whisking continuously until thickened. Remove from the heat, whisk in the cold butter, strain through a sieve and chill.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Grease and line two 8‑in round tins. Beat the butter and caster sugar for 5-6min until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well – if it curdles, add a little flour. Add the vanilla, flour, baking powder, salt and milk, and beat to a smooth batter. Divide between the tins and bake for 25min until risen and golden.
- Cool for a few minutes, turn out and brush both cakes with limoncello. Cool completely.
- Whisk the cream, sugar and vanilla to a very soft whip and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle.
- Place one sponge on a serving plate and pipe cream around the edge. Spoon the lemon curd into the centre and spread evenly. Top with the second sponge, pipe more cream around the edge and finish with the candied lemon peel.
And just like that, our Italian food tour is over. Tom Kerridge Cooks Italy has given us everything from Calabrian chilli stew to Pesto Chicken Parmigiana and we’ve picked up plenty of new M&S favourites along the way.
If you’ve missed any of the recipes, now’s the perfect excuse to go back and cook your way through the series.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
