No-Bake Lemon Slice

This slice is so simple to make and you don't even need to turn the oven on. Its perfect if you have guests coming over the next day and need a simple treat to make to go with a nice cup of tea.



No-Bake Lemon Slice
Recipe adapted from: Alice in Bakingland

Base:
2 packets(500g) malt biscuits(or you can use wine), crushed
150 g butter, melted
1 tin (395g) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup desiccated coconut
Zest of a lemon, finely grated 

Icing:
4 cups icing sugar
30 g butter, softened
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup coconut threads

Grease and line a slice tin.
In a food processor crush biscuits, then add the rest of the ingredients until well combined. Tip base mixture in to slice tin and press firmly, place in the refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.

To make icing, mix together icing sugar, butter and lemon juice until think and smooth.
Spread over chilled base and sprinkle coconut over the top. Gently press coconut into icing to ensure it sticks.
Place back in refrigerator and chill for 2-3 hours or overnight. Cut slice into generous portions and store in an airtight container in the fridge with baking paper between any layers.

Lemon and Blueberry Loaf

For the Loaf:
1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed

For the Lemon Syrup:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar

For the Lemon Glaze:
1 cups Icing sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180c. Grease or line a loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
While the loaf is cooling, make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat, set aside.
Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely.
To make the lemon glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of lemon juice if the mixture is too stiff. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of the loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.

Recipe Notes:
This recipe will also yield about 12 standard muffins or 36 miniature muffins, baking time adjusted.
It could be doubled and baked in a well-greased and floured bundt pan, baking time adjusted.
This recipe could also be baked in an 8-inch square or 9-inch round, to create a thin cake (approx. 1 1/2 inches tall), baking time adjusted

Recipe source: www.sweetpeakitchen.com

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake

I received the lasted issue of the food mag over the weekend and boy it is filled with some delicious delights. I made the Lemon and Poppy seed Cake recipe from the mag and it has to be one of my favourite cakes I've ever made, I was so happy to have all the ingredients in the cupboard so I could whip this baby up. You must give it a go and make it for your next afternoon tea treat.

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake

200g butter, softened

1 c sugar

1 tbls finely grated lemon zest

3 eggs, room temperature

2 1/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 c sour cream

1/4 c milk

2 tbls lemon jucie

1/4 c poppy seeds (40g packet)

Buttercream Icing

125g butter

3 c icing sugar

2 tbls milk

1 tsp lemon juice

Pre-heat the oven to 180c. Grease or line your cake tin 2 x 20cm.

Cream butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk together the sour cream, milk and lemon juice in a jug. Sift the dry ingredients into creamed mixture and add the milk mixture. Fold through the poppy seeds.

Spoon mixture into cake tins and bake for 30-35 minutes.

While cakes are cooling make buttercream icing by placing all the ingredients into a bowl and mix with and electric mixer until light and fluffy. Ice once cakes are cool.

Lemon Bars

I thought this Lemon Bars recipe would be perfect for my first recipe post, since I've been back. It's been pinned on my Pinterest board for awhile now and I finally got time to make it.

Lemon Bars

Source: bakingbites

Crust

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1tbsp lemon zest

1/2 cup (113grams) butter, room temperature

Filling

4 large eggs( I used Free Range, it gives the slice a lovely bright yellow colour)

1 1/3 cups sugar 

1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed and strained

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line 9x9-inch baking pan with baking paper.

Make the crust. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Cut butter into chunks and add to flour mixture. Blend in with an electric mixer at low speed until mixture forms coarse, sandy crumbs. Pour into pan and press mixture down (with your fingers or the back of a spoon) into an even layer.

Bake for 16-19 minutes, until just lightly browned around the edges.

While crust is baking, make filling. Whisk together all filling ingredients in a large bowl. When the crust comes out of the oven and is still hot, pour in the filling mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, or until filling is set and does not jiggle when the pan is gently shaken.

Coll completely before slicing.

Top slice with confectioner's sugar to serve.

Makes about 24 bars.

Bake Sale

I had my first Bake Sale this weekend at the local Marae to Celebrate Matariki (Maori New Years). It went really well and I sold most of my product. I made sure that everything was nicely packaged and a good portion so they were easy for people to take home and enjoy later. Out of all the things I made the Oreo pops where really popular with the children and adults.

Heres some of the treats I made.

Lemon Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

Caramel Corn

Oreo Pops

Free Brownie Bite Testers for the customers.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

Since my last Lemon Cake was a disaster I decided to give it another go. This time I used Chelsea's recipe because every recipe I make from their site they turn out perfect. This cake is very quick to make and is delicious served with the syrup on the side or poured over the cake while still hot in the tin.

Lemon Yogurt Cake
Recipe adapted from Chelsea

Cake:
1 cup White Sugar
Zest of 3 lemons
125g butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
¾ cup natural yoghurt (used Greek yogurt)

Lemon Syrup:
¼ cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
½ cup white Sugar
Extra yoghurt to serve (optional)

Method
Preheat the oven to 170ºC. Grease a 20cm spring-form cake tin.
Blend the sugar and lemon zest in the food processor until fine. Add the softened butter and process until a pale coffee colour.
Add eggs one at a time and pulse to combine. Sift the flour before adding alternately with the yoghurt in two batches. Pulse after each addition.
Pour into prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Serve drizzled with lemon syrup and plain yoghurt.

Lemon Syrup: Place the lemon juice and sugar in small saucepan and heat gently without stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Filling

 

Since I had ten egg yolks in my fridge and buttercream left over from the ruffled tiara cake. I made Lemon cupcakes with lemon curd filling. I bought some cake flour about a month ago and have been dying to use it, so I made Ming Makes cupcakes recipe. This recipe uses a different method then the usual cream the butter and sugar together first, its starts with mixing the flour and butter first till it resembles breadcrumbs.

 

 

I used an apple corer to core the middle of the cupcakes, then filled them with lemon curd and popped the tops back on.

 

 I then piped the Buttercream using a Wilton 1M tip.

  

If you want to make Mings cupcakes recipe check out here page here ( I doubled this recipe). If you have ten egg yolks to use up go here.

Happy Baking xoxo 

 

Little and Friday Lemon Tarts

If you havent got your little and friday book yet make sure you go get it they have some delicious recipes in the book. I made the lemon Curd from the book and it was perfect for the Lemon tarts I made for Morhers Day. If you havent been to little and friday cafe you should check it out next time your near Devonport or Newmarket.

Lemon Curd Recipe
Little and Friday, Kim Evans

125g unsalted butter
1cup sugar
Juice and zeat of 4 lemons
3 large eggs

Place all ingrediants except eggs in a metal bowl. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until sugar has dissolved completely. You can check this bu rubbing a small amount of mixture between your fingers. It is not ready if the mixture is still grainy. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl beat eggs with electric mixture. Add butter and sugar mixture to eggs and beat until combined. Poor mixture through a strainer to remove zest.
Place mixture back over simmering water and cook slowly until think enough to coat a spoon. Place in fridge keeps for up to 3 weeks.

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
Little and Friday, Kim Evans

2 3/4 cups Flour
1 cups Icing Sugar
Pinch of salt
250g unbutter, well chilled and roughly chopped
1 Egg
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
Vanilla essence
( you can use salted butter just opt out the extra salt)

Place flour and icing sugar in food processor. With motor running, drop butter in piece by piece until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg, lemon juice, zest and vanilla and pulse until pastry fos a ball. Wrap in glad wrap and keep in fridge or freezer until ready to use.
Makes one 28cm round tart.