Mojito Cupcakes

Ingredients

4oz Caster Sugar

4oz Margarine or Butter

4oz Self raising flour

2 Eggs

1tbsp Rum

1tbsp Lime Juice

Zest of half a lime

Mint Syrup

10 Mint Leafs

100ml Water

4tbsp Caster Sugar

Icing

100g Butter

200g Icing Sugar

2tbsp Lime Juice

between 1tsp-1tbsp Rum (depending how strong you like them)

Food colouring

Mint leafs to decorate

Zest of half a lime

Pre heat the oven to 180oC. Whisk the sugar and margarine together until light and fluffy then whisk in one egg at a time. Sift the flour in and add the lime zest, juice and rum. Mix it all together thoroughly and spoon into cupcake cases. Bake for 15-18 minutes until springy to touch and golden brown. Then remove from oven and allow to cool.

Once cool prick holes in the surface of the cakes with a cocktail stick. Then in a pan boil the water, mint leaves and sugar for 5 minutes. Remove the leaves and allow to cool a little then drizzle over the cakes. Leave the mint syrup to sink in for about half an hour then make the icing.

Cream the butter and sugar together then add lime juice, rum and food colouring (I opted for a lemon and lime colour) once mixed together  pipe onto the cakes. Then top with a sprinkle of lime zest and a sprig of mint. 



No Bake Lemon and Lime Cheesecake

Makes 6

Ingredients

50g Butter

160g Digestive biscuits

300g Cream Cheese

50ml Double Cream

75g Caster Sugar

Juice of 1 Lime

6 tbsp Lemon Curd

Some Lemon Zest

Melt the butter in a pan, and add to broken up digestive biscuits. Pat the biscuit down firmly into individual dishes and set aside.

In a bowl beat the cream cheese to soften it then add the cream, sugar and lime juice. Mix it all together and spoon on top of biscuit bases. Put these in the fridge to set for about an hour.

Once set spoon a tablespoon of lemon curd on top of each cheesecake and garnish with a little lemon zest. Place back in the fridge for another hour or two then serve.

Basil Grande Cocktail Sorbet

Ingredients

235ml Water

75g Caster Sugar

10g Fresh Basil Leaves

1 Lime, Zest and Juice

150g Raspberries or Strawberries

135ml Cranberry Juice

355ml Cranberry and Raspberry Flavoured Sparkling Water

1tbsp Cointreau

1tbsp Vodka

1tbsp Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

Add water, sugar and basil leaves to a pan and let simmer on a medium heat for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the basil has infused, then remove from the heat and remove the basil leaves. In another bowl sieve the raspberries to get the juice and add this to the cranberry juice. Add the zest and juice of one lime to the cranberry mixture and add the alcohol (optional) and sparkling water. Now add the sugar basil mixture to the rest give it all a stir and place in a Pyrex dish suitable for freezing.

Place in the freezer and go back every 30 mins to an hour and give it a mix around. After 3-4 hours the mixture should have set.

Serve with some fresh raspberries and a spring of basil to garnish.

Mojito Sorbet

Ingredients

235ml Water

200g Caster Sugar

15g Mint Leaves

25g Grated Lime Zest

235ml Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

355ml Citrus Flavoured Sparkling Water

30ml Rum (Optional)

Heat the water, sugar and mint leaves in a pan over a medium heat gently stirring until the sugar melts then let boil for 3-5 minutes so that the mint flavour is released. Sieve out the mint leaves and let the sugar mixture cool. To this add the lime juice, lime zest and sparkling water giving it a good stir add the rum now as well if you are using it.

Place the mixture in a Pyrex dish and put in the freezer going back every 30 mins to an hour to stir it around so it doesn't freeze solid. (Or if you have an ice cream maker follow the manufacturers instructions) After 3-4 hours in the freezer you should have a good sorbet consistency.

Once set serve with a spring of mint or a slice of lime and save any remaining sorbet in an air tight container in the freezer.

Enjoy :-)