Lemony deliciousness

I have a weakness for lemony things. I used to be a chocoholic, and am still partial to the odd square / entire block of the dark stuff, but lemons are now IT. Number one.

I've been churning out jars of lemon curd all winter, and adding it to all sorts of recipes, seeking to reach the highest pinnacle of teeth-gritting, lemony perfection - aka the divine Lemon Slice, sold at Route 72 Cafe for $3.90 a slice. Not that I partake often. Or not that often anyway. Is weekly often? Okay, maybe twice a week **darty eyed glance**

So these are my favourite recipes, shared with you in an effort to spread the lemon love:

LEMON MUFFINS WITH CRUNCHY LEMON SUGAR TOPPING

These are delicious served warm or cold.

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 75 g butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• grated rind of 1 large or 2 small lemons
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sugar

Mix flour and sugar in bowl.

Melt butter, add the milk, egg and lemon rind. Beat well with a fork to combine.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until ingredients are only just dampened. Do not overmix.

Divide the mixture between 12 greased muffin cups. Bake at 200 C for 10 minutes.

Stir together the lemon juice and sugar and drizzle over the muffin as soon as they are removed from the oven. I like to prick the top of the muffins with a toothpick so the flavour soaks in more. Leave to stand in the pans for only a few minutes as the syrup will harden and stick the muffins to the pans.

Made these today, but added a spoon of lemon curd to each muffin pan before topping with more batter. The curd kind of oozes in as the muffins bake, so no hidden lemony surprises, but a lovely zingy texture all the same.

Also had terrible time finding muffin pan today. Searched high and low, muttered foul words at and about children who steal Mummy's baking things for their sandpit fun, then eventually found it - in the freezer filled with bird pies that we made earlier this week! Couldn't be bothered cleaning fat off it (**gag-heave**) so hastily shoved it back in freezer and shut door. Best it stays in there...

Big fan of this, also. Has a slightly crusty top and shortbread style base, which is a nice balance with the zingy middle. Not quite to Route 72's standard, but close. Ish.

LEMON SLICE

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 150 g butter
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 lemons, zest of
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 1/4 cup self-raising flour

• 
  

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Place flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor, mix until a ball is formed around the blade (don't use hard butter as it won't form into a ball).
3. Lined the tin with baking paper to come up a bit over two sides, (this will make removal a lot easier).
4. Place into a slice tin and press flat.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. In same food processor bowl (not need to wash) add eggs, lemon juice, zest, castor sugar and self-raising flour, process until well combined.
7. Once base has cooked for 20 mins take out and pour in filling and place back in oven and cook for a further 15 - 20 minutes or until it feels sets in middle.

Also have respectable lemon and poppy seed cake that deserves to be shared also, but getting tired of typing after a frightful evening attempting to socialise with friends with 2 year old child in tow. Had 3 year old in tow also, but she was a saint. Probably too fascinated by the potential outcomes of her brother's horrific behaviour to contemplate havoc of her own.

Need a drink. Back at work tomorrow...

**twitch-twitch**