Lemon Sponge Cakes

Very simple little sponge cakes flavoured with lemon zest and a little lemon oil. Because these are made without fats (butter or oil) the cakes should be eaten on the day they are made.

Ingredients: 

• 3 oz/ 75g of caster sugar
• 3 eggs (room temperate)
• 4 oz/ 100g of plain flour
• Zest of a lemon (unwaxed)
• Few drops of lemon oil

Electric whisk/ mixer

Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4

Put the eggs and sugar in a big mixing bowl and whisk an electric whisk is best until the mixture turns paler and is light and fluffy this take between 4-6 minutes usually for an electric whisk by hand a lot longer.

Add the lemon zest to the flour and fold it into the mixture using a metal spoon you can also add the lemon oil folding until just mixed, don't over mix it or you will lose all the air you added with the whisking.
Oil your cake moulds (I even used a little oil on my silicone mounds) or mixture put into paper cases, cook for approximately 10- 15 minutes or until golden brown and will risen. Remove from mounds as soon as you can, this stops the bottom of the cakes becoming wet and soggy. I just lightly dusted with icing sugar (powdered sugar)
Instead of lemon use orange or lime zest and oil or a mixture of citrus fruits :)

Teapot Shortbread

Buttery crisp shortbread biscuits in the shape of little teapots, these are quick and super tasty

 I have had these cute teapot cutters for a while I bought them in a sale and have never used them so decided it was time to play with them.
I have not made shortbread for ages and thought it would be prefect with the cutters.



 
Pre-heat oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5

Ingredients:

• 50g/ 2oz Caster Sugar
• 100g / 4oz Butter
• 150g/ 6oz Plain Flour

Beat the butter and the sugar together until smooth.

Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste, wrap and place in the fridge for 20 -30 minutes.

Place on to a work surface, gently roll out until 1cm/ ½in thick, using a fork prick the pasty all over.

Cut into your desired shapes and place onto a baking tray (I used a non stick liner on my baking tray, if you do not have one lightly oil the tray to prevent sticking)

Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. 

after removing from the oven leave on the baking tray for 5 minutes than place biscuits to cool on a wire rack. 

Can be eaten as they are or decorated :)

I used basic water icing and with food colouring

Basic water icing = Approx 2 heaped tablespoons icing sugar (also known as powdered sugar) add a little warm water approximately 1 tsp than a few drops at a time until about runny as single cream, add food colouring of choice. You can play and add chocolate drops, sugar sprinkle, glace fruit, sweets have fun :)