LEMON SWIRLS RECIPES

Steps:

• Start by making the dough. Put the flour, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a freestanding mixer. Mix well. Rub in the softened butter using the tips of your fingers until there are no large lumps left. Create a well in the centre.
• In a bowl or jug, whisk together the milk, almond extract and egg. Pour this into the dry mixture. Attach the dough hook and mix. If there are still dry bits on the base, add a spoonful of water at a time until there are none remaining. As soon as it has come together, knead on high for 7 minutes. Alternatively, bring the dough together and knead by hand until smooth and silky.
• Shape the dough into a neat ball, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
• Make the filling by mixing all the ingredients together and set aside. Grease a 30x24cm/12x9½in brownie tin with oil.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, dust the work surface with flour and tip it out. Roll it into a 50x30cm/20x12in rectangle, keeping the longer side closest to you. Spoon the filling on top and spread all over using the back of a spoon. Roll up the dough from the long side (like a Swiss roll). Cut into 12 equal pieces. Place into the tray swirl-side up with a little space between each piece. Grease a piece of cling film and cover the tray. Leave in a warm place to prove again until the edges of the buns just touch.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Remove the cling film and bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool until just warm.
• Make the frosting by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Generously spread all over the cooled buns. Tear, share... and enjoy.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of 3 x 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. In a jug, whisk the eggs, yogurt and milk. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, using an electric hand whisk. When you have a light and fluffy mixture, add the flour, the liquid in the jug and the lemon zest. Mix again until smooth. Divide the cake mixture between the tins, level the surfaces and bake for 40 mins.
• Mix the lemon juice and elderflower cordial. When the cakes are cooked, poke all over the surface with a cocktail stick then spoon the lemon and elderflower syrup over the cakes. Leave to cool in the tins. Once cool, you can wrap in cling film and keep for 3 days before icing.
• To make the icing, beat the butter until smooth with an electric hand whisk. Add half the icing sugar, use a spatula to mash the mixture together (this will help to prevent an icing sugar cloud) then whisk again. Add the remaining icing sugar, cream cheese and lemon zest, mash again, then whisk again until smooth.
• Stack the cakes on a cake stand with plenty of icing between each layer. Pile most of the remaining icing on top, then use a palette knife to spread it across the top and down the sides, covering the cake in swirls (don’t worry about it looking too perfect). Add the final bit of icing to the top and use it to cover any patches where the cake is poking through. Decorate with fresh flowers.