LAB X Kitchen Therapy X The Kitchen Trail
The next few recipes on Kitchen Therapy are the ones that were developed for Le Artisan Boulangerie’s Afternoon Tea menu the past month. As I mentioned before, every month the Afternoon Tea will be changed in order to keep things lively, have the opportunity to incorporate seasonal produce, and most importantly, so we can keep staying creative and venture every possibility.
It’s almost Diwali, and I am struggling to get my act together in time for my deadlines – but it’s exhilarating to have so much goodness around you and most importantly, progress! As I whiz through my creative works, mundane chores, packaging jobs and shoots + travels, I am still amazed that in such a short time span I’ve managed to accomplish such a healthy work life. But, yes, I am very keen on getting through this terribly busy patch and get into my holiday. Until then, I’d like to share this:
There is lemon cake, and then there is lemon basil + white chocolate cake. This recipe was developed for the Le Artisan Boulangerie Afternoon Tea menu the past month, which received a great response, even from wary cake-eaters too! This combination of tart lemons against a bit of spice from basil, covered up in lovely white chocolate has the perfect balance, particularly with a cup of sweet tea.
This recipe was adapted into a layer cake for the menu, however for home bakers I recommend just two layers for ease!
Photo Styling: The Kitchen Trail
The Recipe
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup soft butter
- 1/2 cup castor sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 10g fresh basil, finely chopped
- 50g sugar
- 95ml lemon squash
- 60ml water
- 4-5 fresh basil leaves
- 200g white chocolate
- 200g cream
- lemon, sliced and halved, grilled with sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C and grease and line a medium cake tin.
- Whisk the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes, before adding the egg and extracts.
- Then sift the dry ingredients into the batter and lightly combine.
- Add the fresh basil into the batter and fold carefully.
- Pour the cake into the tin and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from the tin.
- Slice the cake into 2 or 3 layers.
- Soak each layer with lemon basil syrup.
- Place all ingredients in saucepan and simmer into a syrup.
- Gently warm the cream in a saucepan.
- Add the white chocolate and stir until melted.
- Then use a whisk and whip until almost double in volume.
- Soak each layer of the cake with syrup.
- Then spread the ganache.
- Add another layer.
- Repeat until you get to the top.
