Delicious and spongy, experience all the flavour of the best little lemon cake squares with this recipe! And while you’re at it, make double and freeze half of it to save yourself some time later.

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
180 g butter, at room temperature, plus extra to grease
3 tbsp milk
3 large eggs
1½ tsp vanilla essence
180 g flour
250 g caster sugar
3–4 lemons (zest of 1, 100 ml juice)
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20 × 20 cm cake tin and line with baking paper.
2. Mix the milk, eggs and vanilla essence in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, 150g caster sugar, zest, baking powder and salt. Rub in the butter, together with half of the egg mixture. Combine well.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the rest of the egg mixture in two batches, beating well after each addition.
5. Pour into the tin. Place a piece of buttered foil over the batter, to prevent over-browning.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. If the cake does become too brown, turn down the oven to 160°C.
7. In a pot over medium heat, dissolve the remaining 100 g caster sugar in the lemon juice
8. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then remove from the tin. Place on a cooling rack and make lots of holes in the surface with a fork or skewer. Drizzle with the syrup, brushing the sides liberally. Dust with icing sugar

The post Lemon cake appeared first on MyKitchen.

We’re giving the good old pap and oxtail a modern upgrade for Sunday lunch this week. Are you keen to give it a try? The stiff pap squares add a whole new dimension of texture.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 3 hours, 40 min

INGREDIENTS
For the pap squares
3 cups water
2 cups maize meal
2 tbsp butter
Salt
Vegetable oil, to fry
For the oxtail
1 kg oxtail
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, grated
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
2 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley, to serve

METHOD
For the pap squares
1. Bring the water to a rapid boil. Add 1 cup maize meal and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and leave the pap for 8–10 minutes, without stirring.
2. Remove the lid and, using a wooden spoon or sturdy whisk, stir vigorously for 1 minute to mix and remove any lumps.
3. Slowly add 1 cup maize meal, while stirring. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and let pap steam for 10–15 minutes. Add butter and salt, and stir again.
4. Transfer pap to a roasting tin lined with cling film, pressing it down evenly. Cool for 1 hour.
5. Remove the pap from the tin and cut into 8 cm squares, about 2 cm thick.
6. Heat enough oil in a pan to shallow-fry the pap squares. Fry them, flipping once, until golden and crispy. Place on a paper towel to drain off any excess oil.
For the oxtail
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Season oxtail generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil over high heat in a deep cast-iron or ovenproof pot. Brown oxtail all over, then remove it from the pot.
4. Place onion in the same pot. Fry in the leftover meat fat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, except parsley, and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Return the oxtail and all its resting juices to the pot. Cover the pot and cook in the oven for 3 hours. Check after 2 hours and add a little more water if needed. Once the sauce is reduced and thickened, adjust the seasoning.
6. Serve with fried pap squares and chopped parsley.

The post Pap squares with oxtail appeared first on MyKitchen.