Lemon cake

Lemon cake

A classic Genoise sponge, soaked with lemon syrup and topped with a lemon curd icing

Sponge

Ingredients for sponge (makes a 7 inch cake – enough for 12 portions)

4 eggs

120g sugar

120g plain flour

20g butter (melted)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method for sponge

1. Melt 20g of butter and keep it aside to cool down.

2. Pre–heat the oven to 170˚C.

3. Grease a 7 inch loose bottomed cake tin with a teaspoon of melted butter, and line the base of the tin with some greaseproof paper, grease the paper with a tiny bit of butter, then dust the paper and the sides of the tin lightly with about 1 teaspoon of flour.

4. Whisk 4 eggs, 120g of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a large bowl using an electric whisk until the mixture is thick enough to form a trail which holds its shape for a few seconds when you lift up the whisk (this is called the ‘ribbon’ stage).

5. Sieve 120g of flour over the egg and sugar mixture, and fold it in gently with a metal spoon.

6. Add the cooled and melted butter and then fold it in gently as well.

7. Bake it immediately in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 170˚C for about 30 minutes – check that the sponge is cooked by inserting a clean knife into the centre – it should come out clean and dry when the sponge is cooked through; if the knife comes out sticky, then put the sponge back in the oven for a few more minutes.

8. When the sponge is done keep it aside until it cools down, then use a knife to loosen it from the sides of the tin, remove it and place it carefully onto a plate.

Lemon Syrup

Juice of 2 lemons (80mls)

120g sugar

Heat the lemon juice and sugar together in a pan over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and then keep it aside to cool down.

Lemon curd icing

Ingredients 

200g unsalted butter

200g icing sugar (sieved)

200g full fat cream cheese

200g lemon curd (home made or ready made)

Method

1. Whisk the butter in a large bowl with an electric whisk – for about 1 minute - until it is soft and creamy.

2. Add the sieved icing sugar a little at a time to the butter while continuing to whisk for about another minute until it is thoroughly blended in.

3. Add the lemon curd and continue whisking for about half a minute.

4. Add the cream cheese and continue whisking for another half minute until the mixture is smooth and ready to be used.

Final Assembly of Cake

1. Split the sponge carefully into two equal layers, and spoon the lemon syrup evenly onto the cut surface of each half.

2. Spread ⅓ of the icing onto the bottom sponge.

3. Cover the iced bottom sponge with the top layer of sponge.

4. Spread the remaining icing onto the top and sides of the cake, and smooth it with a spatula.

5. The cake keeps well in a fridge for about 2 days. (If it lasts that long!)

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara

This is one of my eldest son's favourite recipes. I’m not sure how healthy it is, but it is a very quick and easy meal – it takes about 15 minutes in total to make.

Ingredients (for 2 people)

200 g spaghetti

100 g pancetta (lardons or slices)

200 mls fresh double cream

80 g grated Parmesan

2 eggs (very fresh)

½ - 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Salt

1 clove garlic (crushed)
½  teaspoon paprika (optional)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Boil a large pan of water (with ¼ teaspoon of salt).

2. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for 11 – 13 minutes (depending on how ‘al dente’ you like your pasta).

3. Cook the pancetta in a frying pan (but with no oil in the pan), over a medium heat until it is crisp  - it takes about 5 minutes, (if using slices of pancetta cut it into 1 inch pieces with scissors) then drain the pancetta on kitchen paper and keep it aside.

4. Heat the cream and Parmesan gently over a low heat in a separate large saucepan for about 5 minutes, then take the pan off the heat.

5. Add the eggs, garlic, parsley, pepper and ⅓ teaspoon of salt to the cream and stir well (off the heat).

6. Drain the spaghetti as soon as it is cooked and add it to the sauce.

7. Serve immediately with crisp pancetta sprinkled on top.

Additional Information

It's best to use very fresh eggs, as they are essentially raw in this recipe. 

Lemon curd and cream cheese topping

Lemon curd and cream cheese topping

Ingredients (enough to cover an 8 inch (20cms) cake)

100g unsalted butter

100g icing sugar (sieved)

100g full fat cream cheese

100g lemon curd (home made or ready made)

Method

1. Whisk the butter in a large bowl with an electric whisk – for about 1 minute - until it is soft and creamy.

2. Add the sieved icing sugar a little at a time to the butter while continuing to whisk for about another minute until it is thoroughly blended in.

3. Add the lemon curd and continue whisking for about half a minute.

4. Add the cream cheese and continue whisking for another minute until the mixture is smooth.

Background information

I love lemon in desserts, hence this is one of my favourite toppings – it is a smooth, creamy and lemony topping, and goes wonderfully well on a baked lemon cheesecake or on top of a lemon sponge.

Garlic Prawns

Garlic Prawns

Ingredients (Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter)

250g fresh Tiger prawns (or defrosted frozen Tiger prawns)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

2 tablespoons butter

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon red chilli powder (optional)

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy based large pan over a medium to high heat.

2. Add the crushed garlic to the hot oil and cook over a medium heat until the garlic starts turning a golden colour.

3. Add the washed prawns to the garlic and cook the prawns for about 5 minutes over a medium heat.

4. Add the salt, pepper, lemon juice, chilli powder and butter while the prawns are cooking.

5. As soon as the prawns are cooked through, remove the prawns from the pan and keep them aside while continuing to cook the juices on their own in the pan for another 10 minutes. (To make the juices less watery and to concentrate them).

6.  Put the prawns back into the pan and heat them through before serving with some finely chopped parsley sprinkled on top.