biscuits, bread and puddings. A damson jam spread on the base of a pastry case then topped with a chocolate mousse filling, marmalade added to an almond cake batter, chutney mixed with cheese in savoury biscuits or added as a filling in a savoury bread, fruit curd oozing from a pavlova topping. Once you start to use these preserves, they cease to be used as accompaniments and become stars in bakery.
Blueberry and Lemon Curd Cake
Serves 12
Pastry :
175g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
60ml lemon curd
3 eggs, beaten
175g self-raising flour
200g blueberries
75ml milk
Glaze
15ml lemon curd
Square Tin 20cm x 20cm
Oven temperature 180°C (Fan oven 160°C)/375°F,Gas 4
Method
1. Grease and line the tin with baking parchment. Place the butter, sugar, lemon zest and lemon curd in a mixing bowl and beat with a spoon or electric beaters until the mixture is smooth.
2. Gradually beat in each egg, adding a tablespoon of flour with each one. Add the milk. Fold in the flour with a metal spoon. carefully fold in the blueberries. Spoon the mixture in to the tin and level the surface with a knife or the back of a spoon.
3. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack. Turn the cake the right side up and add a glaze of 1 tablespoon of lemon curd. Leave until cold before serving, cut into squares.