nici WICKES It’s that time of year when all the berry seasons collide – strawberries and raspberries show their last true colours, whilst plump and juicy blueberries and blackberries are just hitting their prime.
Berry, berry nice!
Nici Wickes FOOD EDITOR
SLICES of heaven BAKED GOODS THAT ARE BERRY DELIGHTFUL!
Send your foodie thoughts and questions to Nici: nwickes@bauermedia.co.nz
Nici’s note...
• When a recipe calls for zest, add it in when the beating is done as it gets caught on the beaters and you can lose half of it.
MAKES ONE LOAF
2 tbsp each lemon zest
This loaf has such a delicate, buttery crumb and with just a hint of lavender to soften the lemon, it’s absolutely gorgeous. 190g sugar 2 tbsp fresh lavender, crumbled 150g butter, softened 3 medium eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 90g flour, plus extra for dusting the blueberries ½ tsp baking powder 110g ground almonds
and juice 200g fresh blueberries ¼ cup icing sugar Few drops of lemon juice and water Lavender, to garnish 1 Heat oven to 180oC fan bake. Grease and line a large loaf tin. 2 Briefly pulse the sugar and lavender in a food processor. 3 Cream the butter with the lavender sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one
32
New Zealand Woman’s Weekly
at a time, beating between each and not worrying that it curdles a little. Stir in the vanilla, flour, baking powder, ground almonds and lemon zest and juice. Make sure it’s well combined but don’t overmix. Lastly, fold in most of the blueberries (dusted in a little flour), saving a handful. 4 Gently scrape the batter into your tin and bake for 20 minutes. Swiftly and gently scatter the remaining
blueberries over the top. Lower the temperature to 170oC and continue baking for a further 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Cover with foil during cooking if it darkens too much. Cool in the tin before carefully turning out. 5 Mix the icing sugar with lemon juice and water to make a drizzle. 6 When the loaf is cool, drizzle over the icing and serve slices garnished with lavender.
PHOTOS: TODD EYRE
Blueberry, lemon & lavender loaf
