Lemon Suprise Cupcakes

I modified this recipe from various cupcake recipes on the web and a Deliah recipe for lemon curd. I thought I was being terribly original with the curd suprise idea, but then found it in a relatively recent baking book so I guess not!


Ingredients: (Makes 12 cupcakes at approx 300 cals each!)

160g Caster Sugar
175g Icing Sugar
150g Plain Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
Butter 225g
3 Eggs
Lemon
Orange

Preheat oven to 180*C
Cream together 125g caster sugar and 125g butter. Add zest of half a lemon and 2 eggs. Add 150g sifted plain flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Divide into 12 cupcake cases and bake 7-10 mins til just golden.

For orange curd: whisk juice of 1/2 orange with 1 egg and pour over 35g sifted caster sugar and the zest of 1/2 orange. Place in a bain marie and add 25g butter in chunks. Stir til curd thickens (about 20 mins) then allow to cool.
When cupcakes have cooled, slice the top off, scoop a small amount of sponge out and replace with a dollop of orange curd. Replace the lid and allow to set slightly before icing.

For the icing:
cream 75g of butter and add 175g sifted icing sugar and 1/2 a lemons zest. Add as much lemon juice as it takes to mix the icing to a good spreading consistency.
Spread icing on each cupcake and decorate as required.

Mmmm Focaccia Bread

Ingredients:

350g Strong White Flour

Sachet Dried Yeast

Salt - both table and sea

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Rosemary

Warm Water

Sift Flour and 1/2 tsp table salt and add yeast then 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil and warm water, mix and knead dough for about ten minutes or until 'yeasty' smell and smooth ball.

Place in clean bowl with some more olive oil, coat the dough and leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour until double. Preheat oven to 190 degrees and leave a baking tray in the oven to heat up.

When dough has risen, cut into 4 and shape into slightly oval balls. Bring out the hot baking tray and melt some butter on the surface to stop the dough sticking. Place the four balls on the tray and coat with a little more olive oil, some sea salt and some (freshly cut if you can) rosemary. Put in the oven for about 15 mins until lovely and brown on the outside and sounding hollow when tapped.

I had one warm with poached eggs... then another on its own without even butter it was so yummy :)