Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

Ingredients:
3 large eggs, lightly whisked
3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
210g plain flour, sifted
150g granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
200g butter (softened)
1 tbsp finely-grated lemon zest
3 tbsp poppy seeds(
For the Lemon Syrup:
50g sugar
60ml lemon juice

Method:
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time and beat into the butter mix very well after each addition. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl then add to the butter and egg mix and combine well. Add the milk, vanilla extract, lemon zest and poppy seeds and mix well to combine.

Tip the batter into a greased and buttered loaf tin and place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C. Bake for about 30 minutes, then cover the top of the cake with a piece of buttered foil (to prevent the top from browning too much) then return to the oven and bake for a further 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake emerges cleanly.

Whilst the cake is still baking, add the lemon juice and sugar to a small pan and heat until the sugar dissolves. As soon as the cake emerges from the oven and whilst it's still in the tin poke all over with a skewer and brush the top of the cake with half the lemon juice glaze. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then invert onto a wire rack. Poke the bottom and sides of the cake with the skewer and apply the glaze with a brush. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Lemon Meringue Pie is a popular delicious dessert from France.

1 1/2 cups plain flour
3 tsp. icing sugar
5 oz. butter
1 beaten egg yolk
2 Tbls. water, approximately

FILLING:
1/2 cup cornflour (cornstarch)
1 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cups water
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
3 egg yolks
2 ounces unsalted butter

MERINGUE
3 egg whites
1/2 cup castor sugar

Grease flan tin.

Sift flour and icing sugar into bowl. Rub in butter. Add yolk and enough water to make pastry cling together. Knead gently and refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.

Roll out on lightly floured surface and line tin. Fill pastry with dried beans or rice and bake at 400 degrees F. for 10 minutes.

Spread filling into case, top with meringue. Bake 400 degrees F. for about 5 minutes until meringue is beginning to brown. Cool and serve.

Filling:
Mix cornflour and sugar in pan with juice and water until smooth.
Stir over heat until mixture is very thick. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 seconds. Take off heat and quickly stir in the lemon rind, yolks and butter. When butter is melted, cover and cool to room temp.

Meringue:
Beat egg whites in small bowl until soft peak stage. Gradually add sugar, beating well until there is no grainy feel in the mixture.