By Lakeland (blog.lakeland.co.uk)By Lakeland (blog.lakeland.co.uk)TE ATIME TRE ATSWWW.FOODHEAVENMAG.COM JUNE baking heaven 73
Pistachio, orange
& cardamom
mini loaves
MAKES 12
For the loaf cakes
6 green cardamom pods
150g (5½oz) shelled pistachio nuts
150g (5½oz) butter, at room
temperature
150g (5½oz) caster sugar
3 large free-range eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
150g (5½oz) plain flour
a pinch of salt
1½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp orange juice
To de c orate
80g (3oz) icing sugar
4 tsp orange juice
chopped pistachio nuts and a little
grated orange zest
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas
Mark 4.
2 Bash the cardamom pods to release
the black seeds, then put these into a
dry frying pan with the pistachio nuts.
Toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Cool slightly, then blitz in a blender until
finely ground.
3 Beat the butter and sugar together
until light and fluffy, then gradually beat
in the eggs. Stir in the vanilla extract,
pistachio and cardamom mixture and
orange zest. Sift the flour, salt and
baking powder into the bowl and fold in
with a large metal spoon. Add the
orange juice and stir through gently.
4 Spoon the mixture into the holes of
the mini loaf tin. Bake for 22-25 minutes,
or until a skewer inserted into the centre
of the cakes comes out clean. Cool in
the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out
carefully. Cool completely on a wire rack.
5 To decorate, mix together the icing
sugar and orange juice. Spread over
the cooled cakes and sprinkle with
chopped pistachios and orange zest.Lemon shortbread
bites
MAKES 24
For the lemon curd
110g (4oz) butter, melted and
cooled
2 large free-range eggs
110g (4oz) caster sugar
finely grated zest and juice of
1 large lemon
For the shortbread
110g (4oz) butter, at room
temperature, plus a little extra
for greasing
55g (2oz) caster sugar
175g (6oz) plain flour
a pinch of salt
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
To de c orate
sugared rose petals or icing flowers
1 First, make the lemon curd. In a large
heatproof bowl, whisk together the
butter, eggs, sugar, lemon zest and
juice. Set the bowl over a saucepan of
gently simmering water and stir until
thickened – this will take about
15-20 minutes, and it will thicken more
as it cools. Once cooled, keep covered
and refrigerated.
2 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark- Grease a L akeland mini morsel tin
with a little butter.
3 To make the shortbread, beat the
butter and sugar together until combined
- there’s no need for it to be light and
fluffy. Add the flour, salt and lemon zest
and work them in with a wooden spoon.
4 Gather the shortbread dough together
and knead lightly until smooth. Cut into
24 equal pieces and place into the holes
of the mini morsel tin, using the pusher
to press them down. Bake for
12-15 minutes until light golden brown.
Allow to cool in the tin before removing.
5 Pipe or spoon lemon curd on top of
each little shortbread round, then
decorate with sugared rose petals or icing
flowers – we cut out little daisies
from Renshaw White Ready-to-Roll
Icing using the second smallest size in the
Lakeland set of Daisy Icing Cutters, then
finished them with a lit tle ball of Renshaw
Orange Ready-to-Roll Icing in the centres.BAKING^ TIPFLOWER POWER
FOR A MORE FLOR AL
FLAVOUR USE ROSEWATER
INSTE AD OF THE OJ