Flower Cupcakes

Les Recettes d'avril

By Natoora Natoora
31/03/2011

Potato, mackerel and watercress salad

100g watercress
500g belle de fontenay potatoes, halved
150g smoked mackerel, flaked
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
150g mache and peashoots
1 avocado

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10-12 minutes until tender.

Blend the watercress with the lemon and mustard in a blender, add the olive oil and season with salt and just a touch of pepper.

Toss the cooked potatoes and the mache and peashoots together with the dressing, and place in a large serving bowl.

Slice the avocado and arrange with the flaked mackerel on top of the salad. Serve with more of the watercress and lemon dressing drizzled over.

Flower Cupcakes

Makes 12

150g unsalted butter + 75g for the frosting
150g caster sugar
3 organic eggs, beaten
150g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract + 1 tsp for the frosting
1 tbsp milk + 1 tbsp for the frosting
150g golden icing sugar
12 cupcake cases
optional: food colouring
optional: edible flowers to decorate

For the cupcakes

Heat the oven to gas 4/180C.

Cream the butter and sugar together and milkshakey and fluffy. Then gradually add and mix in the beaten egg. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold. Stir in 1tsp vanilla extract and 1tbsp milk.

Place the cupcake cases into a baking tray or muffin tin and divide the mixture equally. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and light to the touch. Once cooked, leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting

Beat the butter until softened and smooth, then sift in the icing sugar and stir. Add the vanilla extract and milk to create a light, creamy texture.

If adding food colouring, add as much as necessary to give an even colour. You can divide the mixture and create different colours if you wish.

Once cooled, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Decorate with edible flowers if desired. Leave to set for 30 minutes or more.

Homemade Lemon Curd

Makes 4 jars

Juice and zest of 8 lemons (unwaxed)
400g golden caster sugar
200g unsalted butter
6 whole eggs
2 egg yolks

Put the zest and juice of the lemons, along with the sugar into a heatproof bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl, then place over a pan of simmering water (a bain-marie). Stir using a whisk until the butter has melted.

Lightly whisk the eggs and egg yolk in a seperate bowl, then stir into the heated mixture. Let the curd cook, regularly stirring for 10 minutes until thick.

Remove from the heat and stir now and again while it cools down. Pour the mixture into clean jars and seal. It should keep for 10 days in the fridge.

Try it spread on toast, added to Greek yoghurt or use it to make the most fantastic cheesecake - lightly mix with mascarpone and whipped cream and spoon onto a crushed ginger biscuit base.