Lemon cake by @recipesformax

This is my mum’s recipe again. She used to bake it for Christmas or New Year so to me it has a very special festive taste.

You need

• Wooden dough roller;
• Medium tart tin;
• Food processor;
• Greater;

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour (more for dusting)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 125g unsalted butter (soft)
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp of soured cream or natural yogurt
• 2 large lemons
• 1 beaten egg for glazing

Step by step

• Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl.
• Add the butter and soured cream, rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs.
• Warm the milk in the microwave for about 30 secs (do not overheat!). Add the vanilla.
• Slowly pour the liquid mixture in and knead well unlit the dough is smooth.
• Divide the dough in two balls. Wrap tightly with cling film and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes.
• While the dough is cooling, remove the zest from the lemons using the grater. Make sure you remove only the yellow zest and none of the white pith, which is bitter.
• Peel the lemons to remove the white pith and cut them in quarters. Put the lemons, zest and sugar in the food processor and blend them for a couple of minute.
• Preheat the oven to 185°c.
• Lightly roll the first ball out until it is approximately 0.5cm thick. Gently press into the tart tin, going up the sides.
• Pour the lemon filling into the tart tin. Cover with the second disc of pastry and gently press the rolling pin around the edges to seal the tart very well and eliminate the excess pastry from the sides.
• Use a fork to pierce the cake all over the top to give the hot air a way to escape.
• Brush the top with the beaten egg.
• Cook for around 25 minutes until risen and golden on the top.

  Your shopping basket

• 1kg self-raising flour – £1.50
• 250g unsalted butter – £1.10
• 1L semi-skimmed milk – £1.00
• 170g soured cream – £0.68
• 2 lemons – £0.70
• 1kg sugar – £0.79
• 6 eggs – £1.30
• Total basket £8.07 | Cost of ingredients (9 servings) £3.10 | Per serving £0.34