Lemon

Lemon, Earl Grey & Poppyseed Shortbread Biscuits

- Michael 4 Comments

Earl Grey, Lemon & Poppy Seed Shortbread

I’ve been lacking on the recipe posts the last few weeks. Sorry! I’ve been pretty hectic and been out of the house a lot/getting to grips with the new kitchen and being given the chance to go to a ton of fun events. I’ve baked a few things but outside of the bread I uploaded previously, and I’ve not gotten the snaps that I necessarily wanted, which for me can be a sticking point. However, on a recent trip down to Brighton with work (these work trips won’t be happening for much longer, more on that to come), I let my eye be caught by some fancy biscuits in M&S while I was in Victoria station. The fancy biscuits were Lemon, Earl Grey & Poppyseed Butter Shortbread.
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Lemon Glazed Oven Baked Doughnuts

- Michael 10 Comments

*Chanting* DOUGHNUTS. DOUGHNUTS. DOUGHNUTS.

Doughnuts are great. I am however scared of deep frying. I just can’t get over the worry that I’ll burn my house down. And then disposing of all that oil? Urrgh. Just before Christmas I bought a Doughnut Oven Bake Baking Tray (this one), and you know what? It’s f****** brilliant. In the run up to Christmas I made a few different types. From standard cinnamon sugar, through to maple glaze with crispy bacon. I didn’t however, get around to blogging any of them. So here we go!

Oven Baked Doughmuts (13 of 36)

Oven Baked Doughmuts (9 of 36)

I passed my probation the day before the Christmas holidays started for me. When you pass your probation, it’s tradition to bring in a selection of Krispy Kreme Donuts for the office. Everyone runs late on it, and I wanted to bake my own. So I’ve decided to bake a selection of different doughnut types. Lemon Glazed, Maple Glazed, and Chocolate Glazed. To keep things tidy I’ll do 2 separate posts with the recipes. Starting with the Lemon Glazed lemon Doughnuts. This recipe is based on this one here.

Oven Baked Doughmuts (17 of 36)

The great thing about oven baked doughnuts, is that they are good for you slightly less bad than normal ones. They don’t take too long and you can satisfy a craving pretty easily.

Oven Baked Doughmuts (28 of 36)

Now, one more time DOUGHNUTS. DOUGHNUTS. DOUGHNUTS.

Oven Baked Donuts
 
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Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • **For the Doughnuts**
  • 250g all purpose flour
  • 300g white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 290ml buttermilk (or can use whole milk)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Rind of 1 Lemon, grated
  • ** For the Glaze**
  • Juice of one large lemon
  • 200g (plus) of icing sugar (I won't lie, I just spooned it in until I got it to the thickness I wanted)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (155°C fan assisted) and grease your doughnut tin.
  2. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Beat the egg with the buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla.
  4. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, add the lemon rind and mix until just combined.
  5. Divide the mixture in the tin. I did this using an icing bag for neatness, you could easily do it with a spoon too. Fill each ring to about ¾ full. You don't want them rising up and filling the whole in.
  6. Bake for 14-17 minutes, the edges should have started browning and a tooth pick inserted will come out clean.
  7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
  8. While they cool, make the glaze. Beat the lemon juice into the icing sugar until smooth and thick. Once the doughnuts are cool enough, dip them in (I double dip) so the top is coated with the glaze. Allowing to set before serving.
 

Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies with Lemon Drizzle

- Michael 1 Comment

More fruit in things. Carrying on from the Strawberry Drizzle cake I made last week I wanted to keep with the berry and summery bake theme going. I also didn’t want to do anything overly complex. I’ve been really busy on the nights so wanted something I could bake quickly one night, hence the Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies with a Lemon Drizzled Glaze.

Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

I also wanted to make something relatively light that gave a bit of energy. At work we’ve set up a couple of exercise bikes on the balcony and as a company are aiming to cycle the length of the Tour De France in 10 days. We managed it in 6 but we’ve been continuing to cycle anyway. I personally put in a couple of short half hour shifts. The second being 18km in the 30 minutes. Which is a personal best and I’d like to think a signal of my continued improved fitness.

Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

Anyway, back to the cookies. I found them here. And completely agree that, while they are great on their own, the drizzle really does make them.

I’m also moving in the very near future. This may mean that my posts become slightly more sporadic, so apologies in advance.

Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

Cookie endorsement:

Scott Malthouse, Senior PR Exec said: “These cookies are A-MAH-ZING.”
Puneet Mitra, Digital Marketing Exec said: “Best cookies you’ve ever made.”

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
 
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Serves: 12-16
Ingredients
  • 192g cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 225g unsalted butter, softened
  • 200glight brown sugar
  • 200g granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 255g old-fashioned oats
  • 100g blueberries
  • 128g powdered sugar
  • juice of one lemon
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C(160°C fan assisted) and line a cookie tray (I only have a standard baking tray).
  2. Quickly whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
  3. Cream together both sugars and the butter. Do this on a medium speed for about 3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add in the vanilla.
  5. Stir in the flour mix, then the oats. Finally mix in the blueberries with a spatula, carefully so that they don’t burst.
  6. Using two heaped tablespoons per cookie, roll them into a ball and space evenly on the prepared tray. Spaced about 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until they are golden brown.
  8. Allow them to cool for a few minutes on the tray before transferring to a wire rack.
  9. Once they have cooled. Combine the lemon and icing sugar until it’s a paste.
  10. Drizzle over the top and set aside until it hardens.
 

 

Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting

- Michael 2 Comments

What’s this? No updates for weeks and then two in the space of a few days? I’m flat out spoiling you all. Especially as these are my addition to last week’s National Cupcake Week celebrations. They were also a chance for me to test out the new slate cake stand that I got a couple of weeks ago. I obviously needed one for all those times I present my bakes in public (oh… wait). Having said that however I’m thinking about getting involved in next month’s Iron Cupcake Leeds event (the theme is death by chocolate and I’ve got a few ideas nestled in the back of my mind).

Anyway, enough of that waffle. I was trying to decide what to make last week and had a couple of thoughts when Kirsty piped up and asked for something lemony. It wasn’t long since I’d made my Mini Lime Drizzle Loaves so I decided to opt for something away from the standard drizzle. A simple lemon cupcake just felt a bit too plain so why not put some Lemon Curd in the middle? It adds that extra dimension to something already refreshing and full of flavour. Plus, for those not expecting it it’s a wonderful surprise to find a gooey filling.

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This was also a chance for me to practise my frosting, which, if I’m being honest is not one of my stronger points (presentation-wise that is, it always tastes pretty damn good). The cakes use a simple recipe similar to that you’d use for a lemon drizzle loaf.

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Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting
 
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Serves: 24 Cakes
Ingredients
  • For the cupcakes:
  • 320g caster sugar
  • 2 Large Free Range eggs
  • 250ml semi skimmed milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 200g butter, melted
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 350g plain flour
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • For the filling:
  • 1 Jar Lemon Curd
  • For the Frosting:
  • 500g icing sugar
  • 120g unsalted butter
  • 30ml fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons milk (if you want thicker icing, use cream)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C(150°C fan)
  2. Cream the sugar, eggs and lemon zest together, beating well to get the sugar properly combined.
  3. Mix together the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the mixture to the wet ingredients with the mixer on a low speed. Slowly increasing the speed.
  4. Pour in the milk and Vanilla. While this is mixing over a low-mid speed melt the butter.
  5. Add the butter and mix until well combined. Scrape around the sides if you need.
  6. Line a cupcake tray and fill each case about ¾ full.
  7. Put a good dollop of lemon curd in the center of each filled case. Judge this by eye and on your own preference of filling.
  8. Bake for between 15-20 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven, leaving in the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Once the cakes have cooled, start preparing the icing. Beat the butter until it’s soft.
  11. Add in the icing sugar and beat until it’s well combined.
  12. Add in the juice and zest beating well again. Lastly add in the milk (or cream). Beat until well combined and it forms stiff peaks.
  13. Pipe the frosting onto the cakes in any pattern you choose.

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