The perfect edible gift, these gooseberry, lime and elderflower travel cakes will always be well received. If they make it out of the house.
Gooseberry, lime and elderflower travel cakes are inspired bythe French idea of bringing an edible gift to a party or picnic. And the gallic influence is well worth heeding when it comes to these delicious morsels. But if you have the ingredients and feel like putting them to differet use try our recipe for best elderflower cordial or gooseberry mint sauce.
GOOSEBERRY, LIME AND ELDERFLOWER TRAVEL CAKES
Makes 24 small cakes
■ A 24-hole mini-muffin tin
■ 1⁄2 tbsp sunflower oil
■ 280g (93⁄4oz) best-quality marzipan
■ 3 free-range/organic medium eggs
■ 75g (3oz) salted butter, melted
■ 2 tbsp cornflour
■ 11⁄2 tbsp elderflower cordial or St Germain elderflower liqueur
■ 24 small gooseberries, stem and tops removed
For the icing
■ 120g (81⁄2oz) icing sugar
■ 1 tbsp cream
■ 1 tbsp elderflower cordial or St Germain elderflower liqueur
■ Juice from half a lime plus lime zest to decorate
To make the gooseberry, lime and elderflower cakes first preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease each muffin mould lightly with the sunflower oil.
Break the marzipan into chunks and pulse briefly in a food processor (too much and it will become oily). Add the eggs one at a time giving a quick pulse after each addition.
Add the melted butter, cornflour and elderflower cordial or liqueur.
Scrape the mixture into a jug (it should be a loose batter) then pour into each muffin mould until it’s two-thirds full.
Place one gooseberry in each and bake on the middle shelf for 20 minutes; they should be golden and slightly puffed up.
Cool in the tin then gently prize out on to a tray – a toothpick is the perfect tool to help with this.
To make the icing, measure the icing sugar into a bowl then add the cream and elderflower cordial or liqueur on one side and gradually incorporate.
Loosen the mixture with fresh lime juice until it is a thick but pourable consistency.
Spoon the icing over the gooseberry, lime and elderflower cakes, allowing it to dribble over the sides, then grate fresh zest over the tops.