Stem Ginger and Lemon Buns recipe

Inspired by one of Clare's favourite infusions (she doesn't like normal tea - can you believe it!), I've tinkered with my Zesty Lemony Buns recipe and early taste tests suggest this combo's a winner!














You'll need 12 muffin cases and a 12 hole muffin tin. Set the oven to 200°C/ 390°F/gas 6. A handheld electric mixer is best for this recipe.

Ingredients (in ounces again, just like the older recipes!)

4oz butter
6oz self-raising flour
6oz caster sugar
2 large free range eggs
3 tbsp milk
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 stem ginger 'balls' (I use Opies Stem ginger in syrup) plus I or 2 tablespoons of the ginger syrup

First, in a largish microwave safe bowl, zap the butter for 1 minute at the lowest setting. Now add the flour and caster sugar. Mix the two eggs with the milk and around one third of the lemon juice (this will be a scant tablespoon) and add this to the butter, flour and sugar. Using your hand electric mixer, whizz this thoroughly until the mixture lightens in colour and all of the ingredients are combined. Cut one and a half of the stem ginger balls into smallish dice and fold the dice, along with half the lemon zest into the mixture.

It's now ready to be divided into the 12 muffin cases - try a level tablespoon in each and then top-up until all are evenly filled. Tap down onto the work-surface to level and pop into the middle of the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Turn around the bun tin to ensure an even bake and pop back in for another 5 minutes or until nicely browned on top and firm to the touch.

While the buns are in the oven, make the glaze by gently heating the stem ginger syrup with the remaining lemon juice and zest. Cut the remaining stem ginger ball into batons and add these too. Gently heat the glaze and leave to infuse.

Keeping the buns in the tin and while they are still warm, prick them all over and spoon over the glaze (around a teaspoon for each). Any remaining glaze can be brushed on to give an 'all over' gloss to each bun.

Perfect with proper black tea (I love Lipton's Yellow Label which I drink straight - i.e. no milk or sugar, a taste I acquired in France) or if you like it, Earl Grey or, if you're like Clare, Tetley's Revive & Revitalise Lemon & Ginger

Zesty Lemony Buns recipe

You've just got to try these buns while they are still warm! They're ideal if you want a quick teatime treat or even as a delightfully light dessert.

You'll need 12 muffin cases and a 12 hole muffin tin. Set the oven to 200°C/ 390°F/gas 6. A handheld electric mixer is best for this recipe.

Ingredients (in ounces this time, as it's one of my older recipes!)
4oz butter
6oz self-raising flour
6oz Caster sugar
2 large free range eggs
3 tbsp milk
3 lemons - grated zest from 2 and juice from all three
an extra 3 tbsp Caster sugar for the glaze

First, in a largish microwave safe bowl, zap the butter for 1 minute at the lowest setting.
Now add the flour, caster sugar and the two eggs to the butter. Give it a quick mix just to roughly combine the eggs with the butter, sugar and flour. Now add the milk and the zest and juice from one of the lemons (about 1 tbsp) and mix again until it looks thoroughly mixed and lightens in colour. It's now ready to be divided into the 12 muffin cases - try a heaped dessertspoon in each and then top-up until all are evenly filled. Tap down onto the work-surface to level and pop into the middle of the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Turn around the bun tin to ensure an even bake and pop back in for another 5 minutes or until nicely browned on top and firm to the touch.

While the buns are in the oven, make the glaze by gently heating the remaining juice, zest and reserved caster sugar in a pan on the top of the oven. Don't stir, just move the liquid around in the pan and stop cooking once the glaze has reduced by around third to a half (about 2 tbsp).

Keeping the buns in the tin and while they are still warm, prick them all over and spoon over the glaze (around a half teaspoon for each). Any remaining glaze can be brushed on to give an 'all over' gloss to each bun.

I'd be surprised if these buns hang around - but they will keep in an airtight tin for up to a week.

Apple & Sultana Cake Recipe

This is one of my favourite cake recipes, that's also good as a dessert (put another way, it serves both roles really well). It's also great if you have some eating apples that have been sitting around in the fruit bowl for a while that you'd like to use up.

The recipe's origin is the delightful Dorset Apple Cake - but the West Country recipe uses Bramley apples, whereas I prefer to use eaters, as they retain their shape and (unlike Bramleys) some of their texture. I also like to add sultanas and a touch of cinnamon (this is probably because I also love Dutch Apple cake - thanks to mum and my other Dutch relations!).

Here's what you need: a well greased and lined 9" round springform cake tin, or a standard tin with a preformed parchment liner (my preferred option). Set the oven to 180°C/360°F/gas 4.

Ingredients:

225g salted butter (or use unsalted and add a pinch of salt) at room temperature
225g unrefined caster sugar
225g SR flour
450g (around 5) 'tart' eating apples (e.g. Jazz, Braeburn or Pink Lady)
1 unwaxed lemon (zest and juice)
30-50g ground almonds
60g sultanas
3 large free range eggs at room temperature
1 heaped tsp baking powder
1 level teaspoon cinnamon

Peel, core and dice the apples (aim for 1 cm cubes) into a large mixing bowl and immediately pour over the lemon juice to stop the apples browning (even better, pour the juice in first and dice the apples into the juice, stirring after each apple). Mix the apples with the ground almonds and lemon zest. Stir in the sultanas. You'll find that the almonds and sultanas will soak up any lemon juice that's not been absorbed by the apples.

In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar (look for the colour to change, it should really look very pale). I find it best to use a hand mixer for this. Next add the first egg - start with the mixer at its slowest speed, until the egg has just combined, then shift up to full speed until smooth, light and creamy. Repeat with the other two eggs.

Mix the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and sift into the bowl with the butter/sugar mixture. Using a cutting action, lightly fold in the flour. Now add the batter to the bowl with the apples and fold in using as light a touch as you can. Once fully combined, pour the mix into the prepared cake tin and pop into the pre-heated oven.

After 50 minutes, turn the cake around and cover with a circle of parchment (to stop the cake over browning). After another 20 minutes, check that it has baked through - I press the surface and if it feels firm and rebounds to the touch, it's probably ready. If unsure, another 10 minutes in the oven won't harm, as it is, by its nature, a very moist cake.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 to 15 minutes then remove from the tin and allow to cool further on a wire rack. If serving as a dessert, it's ready to serve after about 20 minutes. Keep the rest (or the whole cake, once cooled) in an airtight tin for up to a week.

A topping of toasted slivered almonds and demerara sugar adds a lovely finishing touch.

Almond & Lemon Drizzle cake recipe

This cake has a very close texture and a mouthwatering tangy 'edge'. Whilst it will keep (and even improve with keeping) for up to a week, once you've tried it, bet you have to go back for a second slice ... and then another. So, be warned!

You'll need a 1lb loaf tin and I like to use a pre-formed baking parchment liner sold by Lakeland (amongst others). You'll see why I recommend this sort of liner when it comes to adding the drizzle.

As this is an all-in-one cake mix it's ideal for a food processor (or mixer).

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.

Ingredients for the cake:

125g Self-raising flour
125g Ground almonds
125g Sugar (golden castor or soft brown)
125g Softened unsalted butter (I do this in the microwave - 60 seconds at the lowest setting)
3 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
3 unwaxed lemons - grated peel from all three and juice of two (juice third lemon for drizzle - see below)
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder

Tip all of the dry ingredients - flour, almonds, sugar, salt and baking powder - into the mixer bowl and mix thoroughly (i.e. a quick whizz, if using a processor). Then add the grated lemon zest and mix again.

Next add the 'wet' ingredients - softened butter, beaten eggs and juice from two of the lemons - and whizz until you have a smooth, thick batter. (If using a processor, check that there are no unmixed dry ingredients around the edge/bottom of the bowl).

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin, tap down on work-surface to smooth and pop into the pre-heated oven for 50 minutes. Check after 40 minutes and turn round if your oven cooks unevenly. The cake is cooked when firm to the touch and it passes 'the skewer test'. Don't worry if there is a big crack across the top - this really helps the cake soak up the drizzle!

Allow to cool a little in the tin (and liner) before adding drizzle.

ingredient for the drizzle

Juice from 2 lemons
Equal weight of icing sugar

Make the drizzle when you've taken the cake out of the oven.

To make the drizzle, weigh the juice (it'll be around 80g) and add an equal weight of icing sugar, mix well and allow to stand while you prick the surface of the cake all over with a skewer or toothpick. Now mix the lemon/sugar mixture again and spoon carefully all over the cake - it may seem like a lot of drizzle but left to stand it will all soak in.

Now, the cake is ready and you should give it a try straight away. Otherwise, if you can resist the temptation, allow to cool and store in an airtight tin. (If you've used a pre-formed parchment liner, keep the cake in this as it takes a while for the drizzle to soak in.)

Squid, Chorizo & Chickpeas recipe

Serves 2

125g spicy cooking Chorizo chopped 

1 onion chopped

1 clove garlic chopped

1/2 red pepper chopped

1 medium hot red chilli, finely diced

I tin chickpeas

1/2 tsp Spanish Smoked sweet paprika

250g squid sliced 5mm strips

glug of olive oil 

sea salt & freshly ground pepper (I like “Bristol blend’)

Gently fry chorizo to release ‘juices’, then add onion. 

Once onion is opaque and taking on some colour, add garlic, chilli, paprika and red pepper. 

Continue frying over medium heat for a further 5 minutes, then add drained chickpeas and a pinch of salt.

Meanwhile, warm another pan, add the oil and when really hot add the squid. Fry and stir briskly for just a minute or 2 (no more or squid will toughen up!).

Add cooked squid to the chorizo/chickpea mixture, check seasoning (now’s the time for the freshly ground pepper) and serve.

Optional

Add a couple of sprigs of rosemary along with the onion (remove before adding chickpeas)

I tbsp Sundried tomato paste loosened with a little reserved chickpea water if it’s all a little too dry for you.

Dress before serving with chopped flat leaf parsley