Lush Lemon Drizzle Traybake - Vegan Version

Some time ago I blogged my recipe for lemon drizzle squares, and it's still a favourite in our house. However, since I offered to bring cake to my book-signing at our independent October Books in Southampton, and some of the staff there are vegan, a suitable adaptation was needed. I've some experience of wheat-free baking, but less with vegan, so sleeves were rolled up, teddy bear apron tied round the waist, and off we went. This is adapted to be really easy - the ingredients are mixed with just a spoon.

Here's what the rough copy of the final recipe looked like:

Some tidying up needed here.

This makes 25+ squares, of course depending on how small you want them. The picture at the end has more, as the pieces were intended as nibbles rather than whole portions.

Preps take about 20 mins, baking 30 mins, then drizzling just a further minute or two, followed by cooling time. The result was, I have to say, one of my best ever cakes.

Lush Lemon Drizzle Traybake - Vegan Version
The baking tin should have an area of about 400sq cm - that's about 26x17, or 21cm square. The tin should be lined (bottom and sides) with baking parchment. A fine grater is needed and a means of juicing the lemons - here are my trusty tools:

The oven should be heated to 175C, middle shelf ready.

Ingredients

225ml soya milk

2 tsp white vinegar (wine, balsamic or cider)**

2 lemons

75ml oil, e.g. olive

200g + 65g gran sugar

250g plain flour

2 rounded tsp baking powder

(** I checked some websites and it seems Waitrose Essential White Wine Vinegar and Cider Vinegar are OK, and Tesco White Wine Vinegar. Couldn't find info on sites for Aldi, Lidl or Asda. The Vegan Society site suggests almost all vinegar is suitable.)

                                                

Method

1 Mix the soya milk and vinegar in a small bowl; it may curdle, which is good.

2 Grate the zest of both lemons and place in a large bowl with the juice of one of them,
         saving the juice of the other for the drizzle later.

3  Add the milk/vinegar mix, the oil and 200g of the sugar and mix well with a spoon.

4  Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix gently, trying to eliminate any lumps.

5  Pour the mixture into the tin - it will be quite runny. Bake for 27-30 mins until the

         cake is golden and a skewer poked right to the bottom comes out clean. Then
         remove from the oven but keep in the tin.

6  While it cools, make the drizzle by mixing the remaining 65g of sugar with the juice of

         the second lemon and warm through without boiling so as to keep the crunch (hob 

         or 20sec in the microwave).

7  Make plenty of holes around the surface of the cake with a skewer then spoon the 
         drizzle slowly all over it so that it spreads over the surface and drips into the holes.

8  Leave until nearly cold then use a very sharp knife to cut into squares.

Oops! One piece missing.

Next project might be a vegan orange drizzle traybake - although it's hard to veer away from lemon if you love it as I do. Other possibilities are coconut, cranberry, even choc chip. Or even chopped hazelnuts and a maple syrup drizzle. Lovely!

Lemon-stuffed Cashew Loaf en Croute with Gooseberry Drizzle

Yes, I know, another nut loaf. However, this recipe combines two favourites - lemon and cashews (as it says on the tin) - as well as cooking them in a golden puff pasty case. I suppose this makes the dish a kind of Wellington, too.

by James Bowe

I made up the recipe for a Christmas lunch ages ago and have cooked it many times since then for 'occasions'. There's no picture of the finished dish currently, as I haven't cooked it since I began this blog in February, but when I next make it I'll post one.

Although it takes a while to prepare - about 40 minutes once the ingredients are assembled - it's not difficult and will always look great as it emerges hot and flaky from the oven. It carves well, producing attractive semi-circular slices, and is well complemented by the traditional roast potatoes and almost any vegetables. Cranberry sauce makes a good accompaniment, but gooseberry drizzle is a lovely sharp dressing as well as looking inviting.

This recipe serves 6, which is why a block of pastry is needed rather than the smaller, ready-rolled sheets (though you could try overlapping two of them if you hate rolling out pastry). The main filling and the stuffing can be prepared in advance, e.g. the previous evening, and kept in the fridge with the pastry while it's thawing. The loaf left over, if there is any, can be served at room temperature the following day.

Lemon-stuffed Cashew Loaf en Croute

Ingredients:

• 75g butter
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped                 
• salt and ground black pepper
• 225g fresh cashew nuts (bought whole or in bits), ground fairly finely 
• 275g fresh breadcrumbs                                                                                
• 3 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 lemon - all the juice and finely rated rind
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or half tsp dried)
• 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
• 325g block of frozen puff pastry, thawed for several hours in the fridge
• 2 handfuls of fresh gooseberries, topped and tailed ( or a cupful of frozen, thawed)
• 2 tbsp sugar  

The oven should be ready at 180C, shelf in the centre.  

by dbking 

Directions for the Main Filling

   1  Melt 25g of the butter in a large pan. Add the onion and fry gently for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

   2  Add the cashew nuts, 100g of the breadcrumbs, all except about 1 tablespoon of the beaten eggs, the nutmeg  and the milk. Season with a quarter teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Mix thoroughly.  

   3  Mould into the shape of a bloomer loaf and set aside. 

Directions for the Stuffing

   1  In a bowl, rub the remaining 50g butter into the remaining 175g of breadcrumbs until well mixed. Season well with salt and pepper, and add the lemon rind and juice, and the herbs.

   2  Mix well and mould into a thin log shape the same length as the main filling.

The Gooseberry Drizzle

  1  If using fresh gooseberries, put in a small pan with 2 tbsp water. Heat gently and simmer until the gooseberries are very soft. Whether fresh or thawed, press through a sieve. Add the sugar, and a little more water if the drizzle seems too thick. Reheat just before serving and either drizzle over each slice when serving, or present in a small, warmed gravy boat.

 To Assemble the Loaf:

1. Roll the pastry out to a rectangle about the depth of a pound coin. Trim the edges neatly with a sharp knife.
2. Arrange the stuffing log along the centre, parallel with the longer sides, stopping 6cm from each end.
3. Press the filling mixture gently around the stuffing, to enclose it completely except at the ends.
4. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little of the remaining egg, and draw the long edges together, pinching to seal them.
5. Grease a large baking sheet, or line with parchment, then place the loaf carefully onto it, with the join on the underside. Any pastry scraps could be used to decorate with shapes, stuck on with a drop of egg. Brush the whole loaf with the remaining egg.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown all over.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before placing on a dish (oval or oblong if available) and taking to the table to carve. Best to use a sharp carving or bread knife to preserve the shape of the slices.

Lemon Drizzle Squares and Easy Peanut Biscuits

Here's my definitive recipe for lemon drizzle squares soaked in a sharp lemon syrup, and one for peanut biscuits. Both are easy to make, but while the biscuits are, as it were, a piece of cake, the squares may need a little effort if you are beating the ingredients by hand.

Lemon Drizzle Squares

I make these so that each square is about two bites, and this quantity of ingredients makes 20-24. They can be frozen if (by chance) there are any left over. The recipe fits a baking tin about 4cm deep and base 24x17cm; it should be fully lined with baking parchment.

Ingredients

150g butter (room temp), chopped into small pieces

150g caster sugar

2 free-range eggs

100ml milk

150g self-raising flour

1 heaped teaspoon baking powder

juice and finely grated rind of 2 large lemons

80g granulated sugar

The oven should be at 170C if fan type, otherwise slightly higher, and shelf in the middle.

Method

1  In a large bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy, without lumps. 

        (Best with an electric mixer but can be done by hand with a wooden spoon.)

2  Beat the eggs into the mixture gradually. Don't worry if it looks slightly curdled.

3  Add the milk and beat again until well mixed.

4  Stir in the flour, baking powder and grated lemon rind.

5  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and smooth over.

6  Bake for about 25 minutes until golden. (It's ready if a skewer inserted into the centre

        comes out clean.)

7  Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the lemon juice and granulated sugar. 

8  When the cake is ready, leave it in the pan and prick all over the top with the skewer,

        maybe 40-50 times. Give the juice/sugar mix a stir and drizzle it over slowly so that

        it seeps into the cake.

9  When cool, cut into squares of the size you want. They may be a little gooey!

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Peanut Biscuits

These are quicker and easier to make - the recipe is for about 16 biscuits. As long as they are completely cooled, they can be stored in a tin. A large baking tray, lined with baking parchment, is needed and maybe a smaller one too, as they have to be spaced apart so they can spread during cooking. 

Ingredients

75g demerara sugar

100g granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

50g soft butter or spread such as Flora

100g peanut butter (preferably crunchy type)

50ml milk

160g plain flour

50g chopped plain chocolate (optional but nice)

The oven should be at around 180C for fan type, otherwise 200C. Shelves not too near the top.

Method

1  Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix them thoroughly (a wooden spoon 

        should be OK), making sure the butter is well distributed.

2  Mix in the chocolate pieces if used.

3  Take pieces of the dough about the size of a walnut shell and place on the baking tray,

        leaving maybe 6cm between them. Flatten slightly.

4  Bake until the biscuits are golden but don't allow them to darken or the chocolate

        pieces to burn - this may take 15 minutes but check after 13.

5  Slide the biscuits, still on the parchment, onto a wire rack to cool.

*            *            *            *            *            *

I hope you enjoy reading about these treats and - especially - eating them!

Thanks for visiting.