Rhubarb, Apple and Ginger Compote

I absolutely love a nutritious bowl of porridge before work each morning but the same old toppings can become a serious bore. When Grandad began to offer me bundles after bundles of rhubarb from his overgrown rhubarb patch I really had to be a little creative, I mean there's only so much rhubarb crumble you can eat ! So, I decided to veer from the usual summer berry and lime compote and try a new alternative; rhubarb, apple and ginger.

The compote is made purely from natural ingredients with no added sugar. For one very large jar, you simply put...

2 Apples (peeled, cored and roughly chopped)
5 sticks of Rhubarb (topped, tailed, peeled and roughly chopped)
1 thumb sized piece of Ginger (peeled and chopped finely)
1 Cup of Fresh Apple Juice
3 tbsp Date Syrup
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

...into a large pot and allow to come to the boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat and allow the mix to simmer for 5-8 minutes  in order to stew the fruit slightly. Allow the compote to cool fully before refrigerating. But... if you're feeling really bold, enjoy a little bit first with some home-made vanilla custard and shortbread biscuits - yummmmyy !!!

The compote lasts for up to one week in an airtight container in the fridge.

When Life Gives You Lemons... BAKE!

Lemons are one of my all time favourite ingredients to bake with especially during the summer months. There's something much more delicious about a refreshing lemon cake when the weathers that bit hotter. I've tried so many different variations of lemon cake over that past few months but I finally think that I may have perfected it. This cake is made up of a moist lemon sponge, a gooey lemon curd centre, and is covered in tangy lemon butter cream. I've kept it simple and decorated it with fresh lemon and mint leaves dusted with icing sugar.  

Ingredients 

( Makes an 8 inch round cake)

FOR THE CAKE 

450g Caster Sugar

450g Butter (softened)

8 Eggs 

450g Self Raising Flour (sieved)

Rind of 2 lemons 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM 

300g Butter (softened)

600g Icing Sugar 

2 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice 

3-4 tbsp Boiling Water 

FOR THE LEMON CURD

2 Eggs (lightly beaten) 

200g Caster Sugar 

3 Lemons (juice of all three, zest of one)

75g Butter 

Method

FOR THE CAKE 

1) Preheat your oven to 180C/ 350F / Gas Mark 5, grease your baking tin  with oil or melted butter and line it with grease proof paper

2) Cream the butter and sugar together using your electric mixer until fully combined. The secret for this cake is to be patient when mixing.

3) Add in the eggs one by one and continue to mix.

4) Once combined again, start to add in the sieved flour, one spoon at a time as you mix 

5) Once all the flour is in, add the lemon rind and continue to mix - be patient and allow the mixture to form a light fluffy texture 

6) Pour the mixture into your lined baking tin and bake for approximately 40-50 mins until golden brown and no longer gooey in the centre 

7) Once cooked, leave the cake to cool on a wore tray while you prepare the lemon curd and butter cream 

FOR THE LEMON CURD 

1) Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large heat proof bowl until combined

2) Add in the lemon juice and rind and continue to stir

3) Then add the butter and sit the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring that the bowl does by actually touch the water 

4) Stir the mixture until the butter has melted and then leave for a further 10 minutes stirring from time to time - the mixture should have thickened but leave the bowl to sit to one side until you are ready to use it so it thickens further. You probably won't use all the curd in the cake so enjoy it on toast or digestive biscuits - yum! 

FOR THE BUTTER CREAM 

1) Mix the butter and sugar together in the electric mixer until creamy (be patient it might take a while) 

2) Then add in the lemon juice and continue to beat 

3) Finally add in the boiling water and beat at a high speed until light and fluffy 

To Assemble

1) Using a long bread knife, slice the cake in two 

2) Separate the layers and squeeze fresh lemon juice or a few tsp of lemon liquor into each

3) Then spread the lemon curd onto one half, topped by a layer of butter cream

4) Sit the plain layer on top of the other and completely cover the cake in the remaining butter cream 

5) Decorate as you wish and enjoy! 

You can also use the same recipe to create these cute lemon cupcakes. Simply half the ingredients, follow the same recipe, but, divide the mix into cupcake cases rather than one baking tin.

Lemon & Lime Summer Cupcakes

If you're looking for something Summery and that little bit different to make for a BBQ or garden party, these Lemon & Lime Cupcakes are what you need. They take a little bit longer to make than regular cupcakes because of the lemon & lime drizzle, but they're still a pretty handy dessert :) So here goes....

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE MIXTURE...

225g Caster Sugar

225g Butter/ Margarine (softened)

225g Self Raising Flour (sieved)

4 eggs

Rind of 2 Lemons

Rind of 1 Lime

FOR THE DRIZZLE...

120g Caster Sugar

Juice of 2 Lemons (-2 tsp)

Juice of 1 Lime

FOR THE LEMON BUTTER CREAM....

200g Icing Sugar

100g Butter (softened)

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

Method

1) Preheat your oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 4 and line a muffin tray with 12 muffin cases
2) Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl
3) When combined and creamy, add in the eggs, one by one and continue to mix
4) Add in the sieved flour, one spoon at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy
5) Add in the lemon and lime rind and continue to mix the fluffy mixture
6) Spoon 2-3 spoonfuls of the mixture into each muffin case and bake in the oven for 15-20 mins (you will know they're done when the tops are golden brown)
7) Leave them to cool on a wire rack while you make the drizzle...

8) For the drizzle, put the lemon juice, the lime juice and the sugar in a small pot over a low heat and stir until  combined 

9) When combined , turn off the heat and leave it to sit while you use a sharp knife to poke a cross shape into the top of each muffin

10) Using a spoon, pour the drizzle into the crack on top of each cupcake and watch it soak in ( this can be messy so I usually put the cupcakes on a tray or plate so the drizzle doesn't go everywhere!)

11) Then leave your cupcakes to sit and cool while you make the butter cream...

12) For the Lemon Butter Cream, cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy
13) Add the Lemon Juice and continue to mix
14) Use a piping bag or the back of a spoon to ice each of the cupcakes and use small lemon or lime wedges for decoration