Sizzling Tuesday 19 April

This recipe is a must do for Easter or anytime you like!! It's best consumed on the first and second days and will earn you extra cookery brownie points...

Deluxe lemon slice from High Tea at the Victoria Room
Makes 24 - 30 depending on size of squares,

Pastry
320g plain flour sifted
50g icing sugar
30g cornflour
Half tsp salt
250g unsalted butter at room temp (I used salted)

Filling
4 free range eggs lightly beaten
265g castor sugar
3 tbsp plain flour sifted
zest of 2 lemons
165 ml of lemon juice
85ml milk
Quarter tsp of salt
Icing sugar to dust

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C, or 340 degrees F, grease and line 12 x 8 in rectangular baking dish.
Use food processor to pulse all dry ingredients, add the butter and pulse till mixture resembles coarse meal.
Scatter the meal over the base of the tin and press firmly with slightly raised edges to hold in the filling. (The food processor part didn't work for me, would do it by hand next time - but it still all worked).
Refrigerate for 20 mins, then bake for 20 mins. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
Reduce oven to 150 degrees C or 300 degrees F.
For filling, whisk eggs, sugar and flour. Stir in juice, zest, milk and salt and mix up. Pour filling over warm crust and bake for another 15 - 20 mins. Cool completely, lift out and serve dusted with icing sugar.
Tip - use a hot knife to slice.

I will take a picture the next time I make it - totally scrumptious!!

Tuesday 12 April

I'm having great fun cleaning things with vinegar and water - this has been recommended by a number of people so I thought I would give it a go. Fill your spray bottle with 50/50 water and vinegar (I used malt vinegar). My previously smeary, velux windows are now all sparkly and clear - I used kitchen roll to apply and rub it off again, and followed this by giving the inside of the car the same treatment - once the smell of vinegar subsides you have a clean, dust free surface - great results!!

Monday 04 April

I'm back from Australia after a superb three weeks - more later with photos, and am just psychologically recovering from not having a broadband connection for over a week since I got back. Plusnet are blaming BT and BT are blaming Plusnet ho hum - life in the Borders of Scotland! I'm back on driving duties for the piano tuner and we are ticking along with the B&B, with some regular customers here for 3 nights at the weekend. We even had some while I was away, so thanks to those who mucked in to help.