Chocolate chip shortbread

It's going to be a lovely day tomorrow. Really. So do your time in the kitchen today and be ready to get outdoors when the sun starts shining.

Whatever the weather, these chocolate chip shortbread rounds will not disappoint. Crisp, crunchy, buttery shortbread with chunks of dark and white chocolate (such as left-over Easter eggs). You could even go wild and add a handful of nuts.

Just add tea

Chocolate chip shortbread

225g butter

100g caster sugar

¼ teaspoon salt (if you're using unsalted butter; a generous pinch if not)

225g plain flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

125g chocolate (any type), chopped

Pre-heat oven to 150/gas 2. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder and chocolate and stir to form a stiff dough. Roll into walnut-sized rounds, flatten each one slightly and place on a baking tray at least 3cm apart. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from baking tray and cool on a rack.

Say it with lemon drizzle cake

My absent husband left a Valentine's card for me in his underwear drawer. He was surprised I hadn't found it. Does he think I dress up in his pants when he goes away? I hope you have not had any such unsavoury encounters; maybe you're starting to feel guilty that you haven't made much effort... Don't panic, there's still time to make cake for the one you love.

Lemon dribble cake - you'll be drooling over it

You can't see the lemon glaze because I added red food colouring to it (but used unbleached caster sugar). That's what happens when you try and be clever.

Valentine's Day lemon cake

175g butter
175g caster sugar
225g self raising flour
1½ level teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
grated rind of 1½ lemons

Topping:
juice of 1½ lemons with 175g caster sugar

Pre-heat oven to 180/gas 4. Put all the ingredients in a bowl together and beat for a couple of minutes. Bake for about 35-40 minutes and leave to cool in the tin. While it's cooling, mix the lemon juice and sugar together and tip it over the top.

I usually make this as a traybake in a tin measuring 12 x 9 inches.