Mrs Crunch shares recipes packed with vitamin C to boost your immune system and give you glowing skin

WOULD you take something that can fight colds and bugs, help to prevent serious diseases and plump out dry, ageing skin?

Citrus fruits – oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, lemons and limes – can do all of this.

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They are all rich in vitamin C, which boosts your immune system, and antioxidants to protect against a host of conditions including heart disease, cancer and dementia.

Vitamin C also contributes to the production of collagen, the substance which helps promote healthy, glowing skin.

Here are some recipes packed with citrus fruits.

Lemon Layer Pudding – 89p per serving

(Serves 6)

4

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

YOU NEED: 

• 75g butter, softened
• 175g caster sugar
• Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
• 3 medium eggs, separated
• 75g self-raising flour
• 450ml semi-skimmed milk
• 2 tsp icing sugar, sifted (optional)

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C, gas mark 5. Lightly grease a 1.75-litre shallow ovenproof dish or 6 ramekin dishes.
2. Beat the butter in a mixing bowl until creamy, then add the sugar and beat again until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the lemon and orange zests, then the egg yolks, one at a time.
4. Sift the flour over the mixture and stir it in with the milk, lemon and orange juice.
5. The mixture will be quite runny and have a slightly curdled appearance – but don’t panic. It’s supposed to be like this.
6. Whisk the egg whites, using an electric hand mixer, until they hold stiff peaks, then gently fold into the citrus mixture, half at a time.
7. Pour into the prepared dish or dishes, then place them in a roasting tin and pour in enough warm water to come just over halfway up the sides of the dishes.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is lightly set and golden brown.
9. If you are using ramekins, they may cook faster so check after 30 minutes.
10. Remove the dish from the roasting tin, dust with icing sugar if you want and serve hot.
11. The dish separates into cake at the top and liquid at the bottom but you can serve with low-fat creme fraiche or cream too.

Orange And Chocolate Mousse – £1.29 per serving

(Serves 4)

4

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

YOU NEED: 

• 225g good-quality dark chocolate, broken up
• Juice and zest of an orange
• 4 egg whites
• 4 egg yolks

METHOD:

1. Melt the chocolate with the orange juice and zest in a pan.
2. Alternatively, place the chocolate and orange in a bowl over a simmering pan of water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until melted.
3. Once melted, take the chocolate off the heat and beat the egg yolks into the mix.
4. Whisk up the egg whites until you have a nice, fluffy texture. You should be able to make little peaks of froth that don’t collapse back into the rest of the mix.
5. Then slowly fold the chocolate mix into this (don’t beat or whisk).
6. Pour into dishes (or pipe in if you are feeling adventurous) and let it chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

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Orange And Lemon Jelly – 42p per serving

(Serves 4)

4

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

YOU NEED: 

• 350 to 400ml water
• 75g granulated sugar
• 1 large orange, 1 lemon
• 1 sachet gelatine (or enough to set 500ml liquid)

METHOD:

1. Put 250ml of water and the sugar into a saucepan over a low heat to dissolve the sugar.
2. Zest and juice orange and lemon into a measuring jug. Add additional water to make the quantity up to 250ml.
3. Pour into the saucepan and raise the heat to just below boiling then reduce the heat to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and let the flavours infuse.
4. Sieve the liquid into a bowl, removing the zest, pips and any other bits.
5. Return the drained liquid to a clean saucepan and slowly add the powdered gelatine, stirring to make sure it is totally dissolved.
6. Let the liquid cool for about 15 minutes, then pour into a mould or dessert dish.
7. Place in the fridge and leave to set for three hours.
8. If I am short of time I often put the jelly into the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, checking every five minutes until set and return it to the fridge.
9. Before serving you can decorate the jelly – then enjoy.