Makes 1 x 20 cm Cake
Ingredients
- 225g sultanas
- 100g currants
- 50g mixed peel
- juice of 1 lemon (optional
- 50 ml brandy (optional)
- 50 ml orange juice (optional)
- 225g soft butter
- 225g light muscovado sugar
- 4 eggs
- 225g self-raising flour
- 100g glace cherries, rinsed in hot water, dried and quartered
- grated rind of 2 lemons
- 2 tsp mixed spice
For the topping:
- 450g best quality marzipan
- 2tbsp apricot jam
- 1 egg beaten, to glaze
Method
Two days before you intend to make the cake place the sultanas, currants and mixed peel in a bowl with the lemon juice, brandy and orange juice, mixing it well and leaving to one side for the fruit to soak up the liquid. This will produce a much moister cake when baked, but can be omitted.
Pre-heat the oven to 150C/Gas 2. Line the base and sides of a 20cm deep round tin with silicone paper.
Measure the rest of the cake ingredients in with the fruit and beat well until thoroughly mixed. Put half of this mixture in the bottom of the cake tin and level it off so that it is as flat as possible. Divide the marzipan into three equal parts and roll out one piece into a circle 20cm diameter, and put it on the top of the cake mixture. Gently spoon on the rest of the mixture, levelling the surface again.
Bake for approximately 2½ hours until brown, well risen and firm to touch. Allow to cool for 15 mins and then turn out to cool on a wire rack.
When the cake is cool, warm up the apricot jam in a small saucepan and brush the top of the cake with it. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan to the size of the top of the cake. Press it down firmly and push the edges down with your thumb to crimp it round the sides. Roll the rest of the marzipan into eleven balls to represent the Apostles, without Judas. Brush the top of the marzipan with the beaten egg and place the balls evenly around the outside, brushing the tops of the balls as well. Place the whole cake under a hot grill until the marzipan turns a light golden colour.
View this post
The British asparagus season is very short but well worth waiting for and lasts for only about six weeks from late-April to mid-June. Of course asparagus is always available from different parts of the world all year, but if you can make a point of searching out locally grown spears in season you won’t be disappointed.
This dish is a really good starter, or could be served as a light lunch with bread.
Serves 4
- 24 thin asparagus spears with the woody ends removed
- 8 rashers of thinly sliced Pancetta, or rashers of thinly sliced smoked bacon
- Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- 1 handful of very finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for cooking
- Salt and pepper
- Salad leaves to serve
Method
- First make the dressing. Mix the rind and juice of the lemon with the garlic, parsley and olive oil, seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Take three asparagus spears and wrap them together tightly in one slice of Pancetta, ensuring that the whole asparagus is well covered in the Pancetta, particularly the tip. Complete this for the rest of the asparagus.
- Heat a large heavy non-stick frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and place the Pancetta wrapped asparagus in the pan to cook. It may be necessary to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan.
- Cook until the Pancetta is really crispy, turning as it cooks.
- On four plates arrange a bed of salad leaves and dress with the lemon and garlic dressing, gently tossing the leaves to coat.
- Slice each of the Pancetta wrapped asparagus in half with a diagonal slice and divide between the plates.
View this post
This is a great Easter version of the traditional pudding that can be eaten using tea cakes, or my favourite version which uses left over Panettone.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 8 hot cross buns split
- 110g softened butter
- Rind of half a lemon grated
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 250ml milk
- 150ml double cream
- 50g Demerara sugar
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Method
Butter a deep ovenproof dish.
Heat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.
- Butter the hot cross buns and lay them, butter side up, overlapping in the dish.
- Mix together the lemon rind, eggs, milk, cream, half the sugar, vanilla extract and salt.
- Pour over the buns and leave for at least 30 minutes to soak up the liquid, ducking any of the buns that want to float.
- Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the pudding and put in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the custard is set. Best served warm rather than hot.
View this post
