Lemon Curd Crumble Bars

These deliciously zingy, crumbly bars are to die for. Bright and tangy lemon curd sandwiched between a buttery biscuit base and a nutty, oaty crumble layer. Simply brew up a pot of Earl Grey and enjoy.

Cake pit stops are vital for any day out, don't you agree?  For me, it simply isn't a successful outing if we haven't stopped for a spot of tea and cake.  A few weeks ago, Kris and I were on one of our many antique hunting trips (I saw we, I mean me while he follows me through dusty piles of vintage kitchenware, grumbling under his breath) when we passed the cutest little cake shop.  Obviously it's against the law to be British and ignore tea and cake so in we went.  Instantly my eyes went straight to a pile of lemon shortbread crumble bars. Not other cake mattered to me in that instance, this was the sweet treat for me. So I ordered myself a bar and a cup of Earl Grey (Kris had something mile high and covered with chocolate, standard) and settled down by the window to enjoy my spoils.  Needless to say, dear reader, it was crap! It tasted like it had been sat out since the dawn of time, cardboard would have packed a better punch than this sorry affair.  Is there anything more disappointing?   I left, deflated and unsatisfied, with a solemn vow never to return and to make my own version at home. A version that is not, indeed, crap.  Well, I think I nailed it!

A super buttery shortbread base, laced with lemon zest topped with creamy lemon curd before an oaty, crumble layer is added. Screw your cardboard cakes, this sucker has lemony goodness in every mouthful.

I just love these bars, not only are they super simple to make but I always seem to have the ingredients to hand. I mean, if you don't constantly have a jar of lemon curd in your cupboard, can we even be friends?

Lemon Curd Crumble Bars
(adapted from Waitrose Magazine)

Ingredients:

• 170g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 285g plain flour
• 75g caster sugar
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1 large, free range egg yolk
• 1 lemon zested
• 50g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 20g demerera sugar
• 25g rolled oats
• 20g flaked almonds
• 20g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 325g jar of best quality lemon curd

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C, grease and line a 22cm square tin with baking parchment. In a food processor, pulse together the butter and flour until soft crumbs form. Stir in the caster sugar and salt, then remove 1 /3 of the mixture and set aside in a bowl.
2. Add the baking powder, egg yolk and lemon zest to the remaining mixture in the food processor and continue to pulse until combined. Tip into the baking tin and press down to form an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes, then allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add the demerara sugar, oats and nuts to the reserved mixture with the butter and add 1tbsp water. Using your fingers rub the butter into the dry mixture until it's all nice and chunky.
4. Spread the lemon curd over the biscuit base, then top with the crumble mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool completely in the tin.
5. Remove from the tin and slice into bars. 

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Lemon Zucchini Loaf

Sometimes you just have to say "to hell with the diet, I want cake for breakfast".  That's exactly what I thought earlier this week, so I set about to make an every so slightly better-for-you cake thats acceptable to eat for breakfast. That's where this lemon zucchini (or courgette to you and me) loaf was born.

 

If you like carrot cake you're gonna lose your mind at this zucchini loaf.  I absolutely love to add veg to cakes and bakes, it adds a moistness that simply cannot be beaten.  I mean, I made this cake on a Monday, we finished it off on Friday and it was still just as moist and delicious as the day I made it. Nowt that's what you want from a cake, if you ask me.

This loaf is so adaptable. I added grated lemon zest but you could substitute this for lime. Add a handful of poppy seeds or even leave the citrus out all together and throw in a teaspoon of cinnamon for a nice spicy number.  Plus, if you fancy making this baby dairy free, just sub in soya yogurt for greek yogurt and Bob's your mam's sister's husband.  They're all gonna be winners.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 225g grated courgette
• 200g sugar
• 120ml sunflower oil
• 120ml plain, full fat yogurt
• 1 large, free range egg
• 3 lemons, zested
• 220g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder


• For the frosting:
• 200g icing sugar
• 3tbsp lemon juice

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C, grease and line a loaf tin and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer add the grated courgette, sugar, oil, egg, yogurt and lemon zest. Mix together until combined. Slowly add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin. Once cool, remove from the tin and set aside while you make the glaze.
4. To make the glaze mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together to make a thick drizzle. If it's too thick add a little extra juice, too thin add more icing sugar. You want it to drip down the side of your cake. Drizzle over the loaf, allow to set for about 20 minutes and serve.

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Lemon Madeleines

Madeleines have always held a whimsical fascination for me. Their delicate crumb, distinctive shell shape and the cute hump, without which it isn't really a madeleine, is it?!

 When LionsHome got in touch with me and asked me to create a recipe for them, my mind skipped right over to madeleines. I've had a hankering for the adorable little tea cakes for the longest time but always put off baking them as my madeleine pan is of the vintage persuasion. Beautiful to look at but the non stick coating is, to say, non existent.  That's where I decided enough was enough, I just had to invest in a new Madeleine Cake Tin. No need to over grease the holes, no need to gently jimmy a knife around the edge of each cake only to completely destroy their beautiful shape.  They just slipped out like a dream.  I can see many more madeleines in my future.

One thing I must say about baking these little delicacies, you must follow the chilling advice.  The chilling of the batter is what helps the cake form their distinctive hump.  Chill the batter, chill the pan and you should have perfectly formed little cakes. 

With a plate of still warm from the oven lemon madeleines, a piping hot cup of tea I had nothing else to do but peruse the Kitchen section of LionsHome for a spot of window shopping.  One of my favourite things in the world is to just sit and pour over online shops full of gorgeous home wares and imagine what I would buy and where I would put them in my home.  If only I had a bigger house to fill.

Lemon Madeleines

Ingredients

• 3 large, free range eggs
• 130g caster sugar
• 175g plain flour
• zest of 1 small lemon
• 125g unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature.
• 1tbsp unsalted butter, melted for greasing the moulds

Cooking Directions

1. Brush the holes of a madeleine pan with melted butter. Dust with flour, tap off any excess, and place in the fridge or freezer while you make your batter.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whip the eggs and caster sugar for 5 minutes until frothy and thick.
3. Sift the flour into the whipped eggs, fold in gently. Once the flour is just incorporated add the lemon zest to the cooled butter, then dribble the butter into the batter a little at a time, folding the butter in as you pour until it is all incorporated.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (Batter can be chilled for up to 12 hours.)
5. To bake the madeleines, preheat the oven to 175C. Pop around 1tbsp of batter into each mould and bake for 9-10 minutes until the cakes just feel set and have gone golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 5 minutes and slide the madeleines out onto a cooling rack. Dust with icing sugar and enjoy. 

*Sponsored Post

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St Clements Cocktail

Our final cocktail of the Fentimans three is a nice little fruity number, the St Clements.  This one is a virgin, so non-drinkers and designated drivers won't feel too left out of the festivities.

 

Freshly squeezed orange juice topped up with Fentimans bitter lemonade served over ice and garnished with a sprig of rosemary.  

If, like me, you like to spike your juice then I gotcha.  Simply add a shot of gin to the bottom of your glass to turn this puppy into a St Clements 75.  I'm planning on serving these up while decorating the Christmas tree this year.  I'm itching to throw on a bit of Elvis and shimmy around the living room sipping on a St Clements 75. I hope you'll join me! 

 

St Clements Cocktail

Ingredients

• 150ml freshly squeezed orange juice
• 150ml Fentimans Bitter Lemonade
• Crushed ice
• Rosemary for garnish
• Twist of lemon for garnish

Directions

1. Fill two champagne flutes with ice, half fill each glass with the freshly squeezed orange juice. Top up with the Fentimans Bitter Lemonade and garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a twist of lemon.

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