Lemon Fairy Cakes

This is my basic fairy cake recipe using lemon juice instead of milk and a lemon icing instead of buttercream. Perfect for an afternoon treat or a children's party.

125g unsalted butter

125g caster sugar

125g self-raising flour, sieved

2 large eggs

½ tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

You will need a 12-bun tin lined with paper cases.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, alternating with a spoonful of flour. Then add the vanilla extract and lemon juice, followed by the remainder of the flour. Mix well and carefully spoon the mixture into the cases. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack before icing.

Lemon Icing

175g icing sugar, sieved

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

grated zest from 1 lemon (for decoration)

Simply sieve the icing sugar into a small bowl and gradually add the lemon juice, taking care not to overdo it. The icing should be thick enough so when you spoon it onto the top of the cakes, it won't run down the sides.

Allow to harden slightly and then decorate with lemon zest.

If you're baking for a children's party, some sprinkles or small sweets might be more suitable.

Salad Dressings

You know summer is here when all you want to do is eat food that doesn't require cooking! And that usually means salad. Here's a selection of dressings I've made over the years both for a simple green salad or something more adventurous.

To make your dressing, all you do is put all the ingredients into an empty jam jar, put the lid on tightly and shake. Then dress your salad, and if you have any left over, keep it in the fridge for the next time.

Vinaigrette

An easy salad dressing for summer is something that has become known as French dressing. In France, it is called 'vinaigrette' and is traditionally made with oil, wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard.

A simple rule of thumb for a vinaigrette is 1 part vinegar to 3 or 4 parts oil - the quantities will depend on the sort of vinegar you use. The rest is up to you.

And also from my mother's recipe book is this French dressing recipe which includes lemon juice and freshly chopped herbs.

Balsamic vinegar and basil dressing

One of my 'go to' dressings for a simple tomato salad.

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

a handful of fresh basil, chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

See also my tomato and basil salad for an English mustard alternative.

Thai dressing

This is perfect for a Thai salad made with a combination of crunchy vegetables - peppers, Chinese or red cabbage, spring onions, beansprouts, sugar snap peas etc. Add a sprinkling of freshly chopped herbs for extra flavour - parsley, coriander, basil or chives. You could also elevate it with some cooked chicken and a sprinkling of cashew nuts.

4 tbsp lime juice

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp light soy sauce

a pinch of brown sugar

a small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

small clove of garlic, chopped

1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and chopped

a handful of coriander, chopped

Lemon dressing

A light and summery dressing for a mixed leaf salad, something my father used to call 'Honeymoon salad' - lettuce alone! Here, I use lemon juice instead of vinegar.

2 tbsp lemon juice

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

You could also add some flat leaf parsley, fresh oregano or basil.

Tomato and basil salad

Tomatoes and basil are a classic pairing both in the garden and in the kitchen. In the garden, we are told that a basil plant will repel the greenfly and is therefore a good companion plant for your tomatoes. While in the kitchen, the mild peppery flavour of the basil complements the sweetness of a fresh tomato. So what better way to enjoy this combination than a summer salad.

I found this recipe in my mother's book. It recommends peeling the tomatoes, but I don't usually bother. However, if you want to, use a sharp knife to score a thin line horizontally around the tomatoes, put into a deep bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave for about 30 seconds. Once cooled, the skins should simply slip off.

This amount serves four to six people.

680g ripe tomatoes, peeled and cored and sliced thickly

fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

If you want to mix it up a bit, fresh oregano or thyme also work well .

Dressing

6 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tbsp wine vinegar

1 tsp English mustard powder

salt and pepper

As an alternative, why not try a Balsamic vinegar and basil dressing.

Simply slice the tomatoes and arrange on a serving plate.

Mix together oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper to make the dressing. Then, pour the dressing over the tomato slices and scatter the basil leaves over the top.

You can also use assorted varieties of colourful cherry tomatoes, sliced across the middle, in which case, I definitely would not bother skinning them!