Shortbread

Ingredients

175g softened butter

75g caster sugar

175 g rice flour

75g cornflour

1/4 tsp xanthum gum

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150c 

2. Line several baking sheets with baking parchment.

3. In a free standing mixer with a paddle blade , food processor or with a wooden spoon, beat the butter and sugar together until well blended and light and creamy.

4. Next add in the cornflour, rice flour and xanthum gum, mix until combined and forms a dough.

5. Roll out the mix on a surface dusted with rice flour, cut out into desired shapes, I cut mine quite small as they are very light so hold their shape better that way. I either use a 3 cm in diameter round cutter or I cut them into 2cm small squares.

6. I place the on the baking sheets to all for spreading and then chill int the fridge for 10 minutes.

7.Once it has been chilled then I bake for about 30 minutes if you have a fan oven otherwise it may take up to 40 minutes. They are done when they are golden and leave then in situ until they are cool.

Variations

Lemon- Add grated rind of 1- 2 lemons depending on how large they are and how lemony you like it.

Chocolate- Add 125 g chopped plain chocolate 

Chocolate and orange- Add grated rind of one orange and 125g plain chocolate

Lavender- Add a sprinkling of either fresh or dried lavender flowers off the stalk (about a teaspoon but depends on how strong you want it)
Edible flowers- roll into the dough any edible flowers you like, I like to use violas, cornflower petals (I always pull the petals off the cornflowers), lavender or dried or fresh rose petals but use whatever you desire just be sure the flowers are edible ones and are free of pesticides and make sure you only use the edible parts, some flowers may have edible petals but the stamens or other parts may not be so always make sure you check first. Roll the petals in and cut out and bake as per above, the flowers will fade but it gives the shortbread an almost vintage look!

Brown sugar chocolate shortbread

1. Make up the dough as above adding 125g chopped plain chocolate,
2. Once the dough is made roll into along cylindrical shape about 3cm in diameter and wrap in greaseproof paper, it may be better to do two cylindrical shapes.

3. Chill for about 15 mins and then when it is suitably firm, remove the greaseproof paper and brush with beaten egg.

4. Roll the dough cylinder in demerara sugar, you may have to sprinkle on also to get it covered. 

5.Very carefully slice the dough into discs about 1cm thick, you may hit chocolate chunks as you go and the dough may break but don't worry just squidge it together into a disc again.

6. Place on the baking sheet and bake in exactly the same way as above. 

Lemon curd and summer fruit meringue roulade

This dessert really is so quick and simple, the hardest part is deciding what plate to serve it on!......You can of course leave out the lemon curd if you do not like lemon and equally you can swap in whatever fruit you choose, I do tend to change the fruit depending on what I have and even use frozen summer fruits on occasion. 

For extra pointers on meringue see my pavlova post back in September

Ingredients

4 egg whites

250g caster sugar

1 tsp cornflour

Filling

300ml double cream, whisked to soft peaks 

300g soft summer fruits, I use raspberries, blackberries and red and blackcurrants, You can also use frozen summer fruits or a mix of fresh and frozen.

2 tblsp lemon curd

Method

1. Line a 23cm  x 33cm swiss roll tin, with baking parchment. 

2. Preheat the oven to 200c 

3. Whisk your egg whites in either a free standing mixer with a balloon whisk attached or with a hand held whisk.  

4. Whisk them until they are stiff enough to turn the bowl upside down over your head without the mix sliding out. 

5. Add in your caster sugar one tablespoon at a time and continue until its all mixed in. 

6. Whisk in the cornflour.

7. Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and level the mixture out spreading to the edge.

8. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

9. Reduce the temperature to 160c and continue baking for 10 minutes until the meringue is firm.

10. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes and then turn out onto a large sheet of baking parchment that is liberally dusted with icing sugar.  You are turning it upside down when you do this, so the top of the meringue is now in the icing sugar. 

11. Allow to cool and then when ready peel the baking parchment away from the meringue. With the shortest side facing you lightly score in from the end about 2cm, this will enable you to start the rolling up a little easier.

12. Spread with a layer of lemon curd. Top with a layer of the whisked double cream, reserving enough to decorate the top.

13. Scatter with the fruit reserving a few berries for decoration.

14. Then with the meringue so the shortest side is in front of you and you can get hold of the baking parchment,take it in both hands, gradually pull the baking parchment and meringue away from you turning and rolling the meringue over as you go until you get to the end and then roll the meringue over onto a serving plate.

15. Decorate the roulade with the remaining cream either by piping or spreading and scatter with the fruit. Chill until required.

Citrus  and poppy seed cake 

This cake mix can also be used to make muffins

Ingredients

175g butter/margarine

175g caster sugar

175g gluten free self raising flour

3 eggs, beaten

grated zest of 2 lemons

grated zest of 1 orange

juice of 1/2 lemon

juice of 1/2 orange
30g poppy seeds

Syrup

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 orange

juice of 1 grapefruit (or use another lemon or orange)

zest of 1 lemon

zest of one orange

45g icing sugar

100g granulated sugar

Drizzle topping to decorate (Optional)

100g icing sugar, sieved

3tbsp lemon, grapefruit and orange juice 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180c

2. Grease and line a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin with baking parchment 

3. Sieve the flour into a bowl and set aside.

4. In either a free standing mixer, with a hand held whisk or a wooden spoon, start by creaming the butter/margarine together with the sugar. Beat until its pale and creamy.

5. Slowly add the beaten egg, adding a spoonful of flour after each addition.

6. Once the egg has all been added slowly beat in the rest of the flour.

7. Add the grated zest, juice and poppy seeds and beat again.

8. Spoon the mixture into the tin and level.

9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Check its baked all the way through with a skewer inserted into the centre, if it comes our clean it is cooked, if it isn't then bake for a little longer.

10. As soon as the cake is baked then make up the syrup by mixing all the syrup ingredients together in a bowl. Leave the cake in the tin.

11. Stab the cake all over with a skewer and spoon the syrup all over the top of the cake. Once it is covered, allow the cake to cool in the tin.

12. Once the cake is cool you can remove from the tin and serve or make up the optional drizzle by mixing the icing sugar,  drizzle all over, leave to set, serve.