With only two weeks until the Jubilee celebrations, it is time to get baking for Queen and Country.
Ohh, I feel like James Bond. Except less shaken and stirred. And more mixed and stirred.
And just as I was thinking what to bake, the lovely people at Forman and Field got in touch to ask if I would like to take part in their Jubilee Bake Off.
I said yes quicker than Her Majesty would say yes to one thousand boats travelling in a great big flotilla down the Thames in a Diamond Jubilee Pageant.
I was sent a Mystery Box of Ingredients. I'd really, really hoped it may contain the crown jewels. It didn't. But it did contain the following:
- Dove's Farm Flour
- Longman's Unsalted Farm Butter
- Forman and Field Lemon Curd
- Creme Anglaise
- Elderflower Liqueur
- Original Beans Cru Virunga 70% Dark Chocolate
- Mulled Pears
I soon discarded the idea of Mulled Pear and Elderflower pancakes, with a Chocolate and Creme Anglaise sauce with Lemon Curd drizzle.
And, after much deliberation, choose instead to bake dainty, lemony melt-in-your mouth biscuits which I hope perfectly accompany a delicate, fragrant creamy Elderflower Syllabub.
During seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century England, Syllabub was very popular dessert during festivities and celebrations. Which makes it highly befitting for Jubilee celebrations. Traditionally made with whipped cream, white wine, egg white, sugar and lemon I've omitted the egg white and substituted the white wine for the Elderflower Liqueur.
Elderflower Syllabub with Lemon Curd Biscuits
(Serves 2)
For the Lemon Curd Biscuits
100g softened butter
75g golden caster sugar
1 egg yolk
0.5 tsp Vanilla Extract
Zest 1 lemon
150g sifted plain flour
10 tsps lemon curd
Juice of 1 lemon
60g sifted icing sugar
For the Syllabub
150ml double cream
2-3 tbsps Elderflower Liquor
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp sifted icing sugar
To decroate
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1. For the biscuits: Mix together the butter, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the flour and mix to form a smooth, soft dough. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for twenty minutes to chill
2. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas Mark 6. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of a £1 coin and, using a 4cm round cutter, stamp out the biscuits. You should be able to stamp out approximately twenty biscuits. Bake for approximately ten minutes until lightly golden in colour. Allow to cool on a wire rack
3. To make the Syllabub, combine the liqueur, lemon juice and icing sugar in a large bowl. Slowly and gently whisk in the cream using either a balloon whisk or an electric whisk until it reaches soft peaks. Spoon into two ramekins and chill for one hour.
4. When ready to serve, sandwich together two biscuits with a teaspoon of Lemon Curd. Mix together the lemon juice and icing sugar and drizzle over the biscuits. Grate the lemon zest over the biscuits and the chilled Syllabubs. Serve together and enjoy a Jubilant Jubilee!
Baker's notes...
- When whisking the double cream for the Syllabub aim for soft, layered folds of cream and ensure the whisk reaches the cream right at the bottom of the bowl
- The biscuit recipe will produce ten biscuits, plenty of leftovers to enjoy or feed to the corgis
- A full list of the eight other bloggers taking part in the Forman's Jubilee Bake Off can be found here- I was delighted to see three good blogging friends of mine, Working London Mummy, Fabulicious Food and Lavender and Lovage are taking part!
- With many thanks to Forman and Field for inviting me to take part in the Jubilee Bake Off and for sending the ingredients listed above. The competition closes on 31st May 2012 and the winner will be announced shortly afterwards. Follow the hashtag #Formansjubileebakeoff on twitter for all the updates!
These look absolutely delicious, and as I love lemon, they are making my mouth water. Will definitely be trying these! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThe worst thing is when you are hungry and read this!
DeleteOh yum, lemon curd. What a delicious sounding treat :-)
ReplyDeleteWow what a fabulous entry for the Jubilee Bake Off!! Congratulations on being picked - good luck!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolutely gorgeous box of goodies to play with! I still haven't thought about what to bake for the Jubilee but this looks lovely - and so refreshing that you haven't made something red, white and blue!
ReplyDeleteThese look so pretty and very elegant - my biscuits never look elegant like that
DeleteWhat a fun challenge! Great recipes too. I love syllabubs and really want one now!
ReplyDeleteThis look absolutely amazing. In my mind everything should taste of lemon. So refreshing!
ReplyDeleteI have no other choice than going to the shop and start baking today. Great recipe! Thank you for the share :)
ReplyDeleteThese look delicious - summery lemon freshness!
ReplyDeleteI thought I wasn't hungry and then I saw these amazing biscuits... Delicious!
ReplyDeleteNot normally a fan of lemon but they look exceptionally delicious and would get involved if they were sitting on my desk right now :)
ReplyDeleteThese look amazing, will have to give it a go.
ReplyDeleteThey look awesome. If only I could eat one now! I had no idea you could buy elderflower liquer too, what is it and where can I buy it? xx
ReplyDeleteMiss Cakeaholic - at Waitrose apparently. Googling gives you a few online options as well. :)
DeleteAl the ingredients in here are from Forman and Field and delightfully British. Long reign the Queen!
ReplyDeleteYou have done a very good job of making some suitably Royal sweet treats here. I think her Majesty would approve. I know I do!
ReplyDeleteWell I don't think I've ever made a syllabub or cooked with Elderflower, so I might have to give this one a go!! It looks delicious!! :-)
ReplyDeletecan anyone bake this for me, please?:)
ReplyDeleteThese look amazing. I LOVE lemon so much. Might have to try these....
ReplyDeletethese look delicious Kate, you have thrown down the gauntlet and I will be baking from my box this weekend.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great job you did! Lemon Curd and syullabub is so British!!! -I couldn't think of anything better to celebrate the Jubilee - great job!!
ReplyDeleteMARY X
Those ingredients look amazing and I love the sound of your dessert. Well done for being picked and good luck with the competition. I bet it was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteHow creative, this is brilliant!! I'm new to reading your blog, but I'll definitely be checking back. I love lemon curd flavoured things.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely GORGEOUS Kate! I have been here before, just after you posted these divine bites, but wasn't sure if we were allowed to peek!! BOTH recipes are SUCH a great idea and perfect for a Jubilee street party! :-) Karen
ReplyDeleteAh ha, NOW I understand the elderflower liqueur. I'm deeply envious, but trying hard not to show it! Both syllabub and biscuits look fantastic and I bet they were truly delicious. Good Luck.
ReplyDelete