Steps

• For the procedure, you can click here considering the doses indicated in this recipe.

  Here are the main steps: place the flour in a mound on a pastry board, make a well in the center, add the eggs, sugar, softened butter, grated lemon zest and start kneading, without overworking the ingredients, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.

  

• Form a ball, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for about half an hour.

  

• For the procedure, you can click here considering the doses indicated in this recipe.

  Here are the main steps: put the milk in a saucepan, heat until it is about to boil.

  

• In a bowl, put the egg yolks with the sugar, lemon juice, grated lemon zest and beat with a whisk until they become light and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted flour, whisk until well combined.

  

• Pour the hot milk slowly into the egg mixture, constantly stirring with a whisk. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium/low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens well.

  

• Place in a bowl, cover with cling film and let cool.

  

• Use room temperature eggs. Place the eggs, sugar, and salt in a mixer with beaters, whisk for a few minutes then add the lemon juice and zest. Continue whisking for approximately 20 minutes, the mixture should be fluffy, and when you drop a portion onto the surface it should not sink, but leave a trail.

  

• At this point, sift the flours two or three times to aerate them and add them to the egg mixture. Stir very gently with a spatula until the ingredients are well combined.

  

• Remove the shortcrust pastry from the fridge, roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 0.2 inches.

  

• Butter and flour a 10-inch diameter pan, line it with the shortcrust pastry, level the edge by trimming it with a pizza cutter. With the leftover shortcrust pastry, make little cookies for decoration.

  

• Pour the custard inside, trying to level it as much as possible. Set aside about four tablespoons, which you will need for the surface decoration.

  

• At this point, pour the sponge cake batter inside, do not tap the pan, otherwise the air will escape.

  

• Put the reserved custard in a syringe with a fairly wide star-shaped nozzle. Use this to decorate the top of the cake.

  

• Complete the decoration and bake. Cook at 340/355°F for about 40/45 minutes. Do the toothpick test to check if the cake is cooked.

  Also bake the cookies, cooking time at 340°F for about 8/10 minutes.

  

• Decorate with shortcrust pastry flowers colored with red food coloring, to which you can add a yellow sugar to simulate the center (I attached it with a little glucose syrup, but you can also use a bit of honey)