Lemon Sugar Cookies

For some strange reason I seem to have an abundance of lemons in the house which need to be used up.

I know really I should make some lemonade (when life gives you lemons and all that) but I prefer cookies! so I thought id make some lemon flavoured sugar cookies. These are very easy to make and even easier to eat ;).

Ingredients-
Makes 12

• 150g granulated sugar
• 120g unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 200g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• A few tbsp of granulated sugar (to roll them in)

Preheat your oven to 180c, and line two baking trays.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the egg, lemon zest and juice and mix until combined. Gradually add in the the dry ingredients, the dough will be quite sticky still.

Now take about a tablespoon at a time, and roll in the rest of the granulated sugar. Place a good distance apart on the baking trays as they will spread.

Now put in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Once baked, leave to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack, to cool completely.

Lemon and Almond Cake

I came across this recipe on a Tesco Real Food leaflet, and thought it sounded so good that I tried it out myself. Ive never thought of using lemon and almond together but it works really well and tasted great!

Heres the recipe:

Ingredients-
For the cake:

• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 1/2 lemons, zested
• 75g plain flour
• 150g ground almonds
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the mascarpone cream:

• 200g light mascarpone
• 100ml double/whipping cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Extra:

• 4 tbsp lemon curd
• handful of toasted flaked almonds

First preheat your oven to 180c, and grease and line two 8 inch sandwich tins.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, gradually add in the egg and beat together until light and fluffy. Beat in the almond extract and lemon zest.

Next sift in all of the dry ingredients and gently fold in with a metal spoon. Split the batter into your two tins and place into the oven for 20-25 minutes. If you want to test it, stick a knife in the middle, if it comes out clean, its done.

Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the mascarpone cream, in a medium bowl, beat together the cream, mascarpone and icing sugar until smooth.

Once the cakes are cool put one sponge on a serving plate and spread 2 tbsp of the lemon curd onto it. Then on top of that spread half the mascarpone cream. Place the other sponge on top and spread over the rest of the cream.

So you can drizzle it over the cake, mix the leftover lemon curd with some hot water. Then careful drizzle it on the cake. Sprinkle on the flaked almonds.

A slice of this goes lovely with a cup of tea!

Mini Chocolate Sandwiches

Another day, another bake and this a time its a chocolate. Chocolate and cream. The ultimate combination and my mothers favourite two things. Together and on there own, literally she could eat a bowl of cream quite happily.

This is simple but scrumptious, and looks impressive! but believe me its a piece of cake (see what I did there.)

Heres the recipe.

Ingredients-
For the cakes:

• 180g butter, softened
• 180g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 180g self-raising flour
• half tsp baking powder
• 80g cocoa powder

For decoration:

• 150ml double cream
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• white chocolate
• raspberries

Preheat your oven to 180c and line 10 muffin tins with cases.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
One at a time beat in your eggs.#
Now sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder, and fold in with a metal spoon.

Spoon the mixture evenly into your 10 cases and place into the oven for 18-20 minutes.
Whilst they're in the oven, whisk up your double cream with the vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
And using a potato peeler, on the flat side of the white chocolate, scrape along to creat curls. Put in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften, if its a bit tricky.

Once your cakes have baked take them out of the oven to cool for 5 minutes, before placing them on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Once cooled remove each one from the cases and cut them in half. Next sandwich them together with half of the cream. Spread the rest of the cream on top, sprinkle on the white chocolate curls, and place a raspberry on top. Tah-dah!

I also sandwiched a couple with raspberry jam, see above.

Snickers Cake

For my brothers birthday I decided to bake him a cake topped with his favourite chocolate bar, snickers!
The chocolate sour cream frosting makes a change from the usual buttercream (and tastes delicious) so if you want the recipe then carry on reading!

 Ingredients-
For the sponge cake:

• 200g butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

For the sour cream frosting:

• 150 ml sour cream
• 200g chocolate
• 40g butter
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For decoration:

• 1 snickers bars cut into chunks
• 200ml double cream, whipped

Starting off with the cake, preheat your oven to 180c and grease two cake tins and line with parchment paper.
In a bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. One by one beat in your eggs, with the last one add in the vanilla extract.
Next sieve in the flour and baking powder and gently fold in.

Pour evenly into your two cake tins and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. (mine baked for 18 but our oven seems to always bake quicker, then everyone elses!)

To check if the cake is ready, stick in a toothpick, if it comes out clean its ready.
Once baked, let your cakes cool for 5 minutes before taking out of the tins and putting onto a cooling rack.

For the frosting, melt together your chocolate and butter in a bowl set over another bowl of hot water.
Once melted, let it cool down and then mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
Gradually add the icing sugar and beat in until well mixed.

I had to put my frosting in the fridge to set for about 20 minutes, so if it isnt thick enough just keep it in the fridge till spreading consistency.

Now you can assemble your cake, sandwich the two cakes together with half of the frosting and then cover the top with the rest.

Next I filled a piping bag with the whipped cream and using a 1m wilton tip, created swirls around the outside of the cake and added the snickers to the inside.

Then you're done! Its a pretty simple cake to make but the decoration gives it a special touch.