Help With Mini Glazed Lemon Cakes

[tlmcunning]

I made the Mini Glazed Lemon Cakes the other night for a MOMs group cooking club and when I was slicing the lemon on the Ultimate Mandoline with the thin blade it just tore the lemon it did not slice it. I ended up doing it by hand with a knife.

Can someone tell me how to use the lemon on the Ultimate Mandoline. I use my Mandoline all the time and have never had any trouble with it until now. I have a show tonight where we will be making these lemon cakes, so I want to try and figure out how to do it right before hand.

Thanks

Tracy:chef:

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I think if you use the V-shaped blade it will cut much better - I always do, no matter what the instructions say. Also, make sure the citrus you are slicing is firm, and not mushy feeling.

 

[wadesgirl]

Your lemon needs to be really firm or it will come apart in the UM.

 

[KellyTheChef]

I know that the V blade will do a good job at slicing them, but for this recipe I think the thin blade is needed. Once they are sliced so thin, you can eat the entire lemon slice along with the cake. I had one of the cakes that the person used the V blade to slice them, and it was too bitter to eat...I think cuz the lemon rind was just too thick.

I know that normally you don't have to push down much on the food plunger, but maybe add a bit of extra pressure?

I do remember that out of the whole lemon, there were many of the slices that were not "whole" slices...I just picked through and used the ones that were complete slices.

 

[wadesgirl]

You actually eat them, I thought they were just for decoration and flavor! I did the jerk chicken nachos for two shows and both of them the guests had problems with the limes. I was able to make it work but I do think it was because they were a little mushy.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Okay - I just have to say that I would never think of eating the lemon slice with the cake.....I thought it was for decoration/flavor. I would peel it off and leave it - no matter how thinly it was sliced.:yuck:

 

[wadesgirl]

Okay - I just have to say that I would never think of eating the lemon slice with the cake.....I thought it was for decoration/flavor. I would peel it off and leave it - no matter how thinly it was sliced.:yuck:

I agree! I like lemons but wouldn't eat them with the cake. Just to mention, we put the extras in the fridge for a couple days and ate them. The top that was sitting just below the lemon was so tart :yuck: I would recommend taking the lemon off if you save them!

 

[tlmcunning]

Thank you ladies for all the advice. I ended up using the v-shaped blade. I went to the store and searched for very firm lemons. I bought several and they still just shredded on the thin blade.

The cakes were a big hit at my show last night.

Tracy

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

If I do this again I am going to skip the sliced lemon alltogether and use more zest and juice. The lemons shredded in my mandoline and I wasted so many of them just trying to get 12 slices.

 

[chefdiana2007]

I agree, I have been having a hard time with my mandoline, it shreds my lemons and limes. The other day I used it to slice radishes for the chicken grapefruit salad and it didn't work very well. I am to the poing that I don't like to use.

 

[Mwalker]

Try chilling the lemons to firm them up a little. But not to the point of freezing. The firmer the fruit/veggie the better the mandoline works

 

[wadesgirl]

I've never had an issue with the mandoline, I love mine! Try using less pressure when you pull down to slice, it should feed itself.

 

[MissChef]

I use the v-shape blade, so I definetley second this idea! Because it cuts from both sides at once, it glides through the lemon with little effort!
I had the same problem with the other blade, and I just switched blades and the problem was eliminated!

 

[Michelle817]

I know this is an older post, but I found it as I was searching for lemon cake tips. I had the same problem as I was practicing tonight- the mandoline was just shredding my lemons. I tried it on the thicker setting of the straight blade (instead of the thin it calls for)- and presto! Pretty lemon slices.