Petit Pates a la Creme

'Now I thought of the collation, which doubtless they were just then devouring in the garden far below. (I had seen in the vestibule a basketful of small pates a la creme, than which nothing in the whole range of cookery seemed to me better). A pate, or a square of cake, seemed to me would come very apropos; and as my relish for those dainties increased, it began to appear somewhat hard that I should pass my holiday, fasting in prison.'

As Lucy Snowe stares down and this spread from the attic room in which she's been forced to learn her lines, she singles out these illusive Petite Pates a la Creme as the cakes of her choice. Once Lucy has paid her dues her captor, Mr Paul, provides her with these mini-indulgences; 'How he guessed that I should like a petit pate a la creme I cannot tell; but he went out and procured me one from some quarter.'
As bizarre as this whole scenario is, these simple square cakes seem too sweet a treat to miss.

Lemon Petite Pates a la Creme 

Sponge 

8oz butter, softened 

8oz caster or light brown sugar 

a) ^ beat until pale and fluffy 

8oz self raising flour, sieved 

4 eggs, beaten 

b) gently fold the eggs and flour into the mixture, alternating between the two 

1 lemon rind 

1/2 lemon juice 

c) fold in the lemon (you may not need all the lemon juice if the mixture's looking too runny) 

d) dispatch into a baking tray 

e) cook at 160oc for 40 mins or until it's lightly golden on top and rises when pressed in the middle

f) leave to cool and then cut into small (or large!) squares 

Butter Icing 

9oz butter, softened 

7of icing sugar 

g) blend together until light and fluffy before piping on top of the cake squares 

Chocolate Drizzle 

200g of Bournville chocolate

h) melt in a ban marie or in the micro and drizzle with a fork over the squares

Raspberry Petite Pates a la Creme 

Sponge 

a) Follow exactly the same process as for the Lemon Pates but add 1tsp vanilla extract into the sponge instead of the lemon ingredients

b) When the cakes have cooled, smother them in raspberry jam before swirling on the butter icing and drizzling the dark chocolate over the top!