Lemon Gin Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon
• 200g sugar
• 250g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 250g butter
• 4 eggs

• 150g castor sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 T gin

• Candied peel for garnish

Method:

• Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F and line an 18cm round cake tin.
• Zest and juice lemon and place in food processor with sugar; mix until zest turns to specks.
• Add sifted flour, baking powder, butter and eggs to bowl and mix until smooth.
• Tip into prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer tests clean.
• Mix the castor sugar, lemon juice and gin together to form a syrup.
• Remove the cake from the oven, prick with a fork, and spoon over the syrup.
• Serve either warm or cool with cream, decorated with candied peel.

Candied Lemon Slices

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 2 cups water to blanch lemon slices
• 1 more of cup water
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar

Method:

• Thinly slice lemon.
• Blanch in 2 cups boiling water for 5 minutes; drain.
• In the same saucepan, stir together water and sugar; stir to dissolve sugar.
• Add blanched lemon slices and heat until the mixture starts to boil slightly.
• Reduce to simmer; simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Remove from heat.
• Spray a cooling rack with non-stick spray and place individual lemon slices in a single layer to dry for up to 24 hours.
• Store in an airtight container separated with wax paper.

Lemon Tarts

Ingredients:

• Short and sweet pastry (store-bought or home-made).

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup lemon juice
• Rind of two lemons
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons cornflour
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoons butter

Method:

• Roll the pastry out, cut with round cookie cutters, and bake in muffin tins for 12-15 minutes at 150°C/300°F (but check regularly so that they don’t overcook). This creates the cases of the tarts.
• Combine flour, cornflour and water in saucepan.
• Simmer until smooth, then add the other ingredients.
• Stir on low until mixture thickens, and spoon into the tart cases.

• You can prepare the tart shells and lemon curd separately a few days in advance, keeping the shells in an airtight container and the curd in the  fridge. To prevent the shells from going soft, prepare the tarts just before serving.