RECIPE: HOW TO DO ST CLEMENT’S SQUARES

Make your mum these lemony, flower-topped St Clement’s shortbreads to serve as afternoon tea on Mother’s Day. They’re simple but delectable: a soft shortbread-like base with a zingy citrus topping melding into it – a glorious bake for Mothering Sunday, Easter (or any day).

RECIPE ST CLEMENT’S SQUARES

Dificulty: Easy
Portion: Makes 15-18
Time: Hands-on time 20 min, oven time 50 min, plus chilling and cooling

Ingredients

225g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
100g caster sugar
325g plain flour
Icing sugar to dust
Edible flowers to serve (optional; see tip)
215g caster sugar
40g plain flour
Juice 2 lemons, plus finely grated zest ½
Juice 1 orange, plus finely grated zest ½
4 medium free-range eggs
20cm x 30cm cake tin, greased and lined with non-stick baking paper

Step by step preparation

For the base, heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. In a food processor, pulse together the butter, thyme and sugar with a pinch of salt until the mixture is creamy. Add the flour and pulse again until it just comes together to form a dough. If you don’t have a food processor, beat the ingredients in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer until creamy, then quickly beat in the flour.
Press the dough into the lined cake tin, then chill for 30 minutes until very cold. Prick the base all over with a fork, then bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and dry.
Mix the topping ingredients (don’t over-whisk), then immediately pour over the baked base. Return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes until just set, then leave to cool in the tin. Dust with icing sugar and scatter with edible flowers, if you like. Cut into squares or rectangles to serve.

RECIPE: HOW TO DO ST CLEMENT’S SQUARES

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