If you were going to a new friend's house for a cup of tea, and you had the time and the inclination to bake something really nice, what would you make?

[HuffySpice]

I've met a lovely French lady with children the same age as mine. We're going around for a cup of tea. Rather than the standard packet of jaffa cakes, I fancy baking some biscuits or something to take.

What would you bake?

banana bread
or scones

nice cookies, or a traybake

lemon drizzle tray bake

chocolate cake!

Chocolate brownies or raspberry victoria sponge

Lemon drizzle cake or Welsh cakes.

a bakewell tart, but after i had made it, i would change my mind leave it at home for me and take the jaffa cakes

If she's French it needs to be simple and elegant and something that she doesn't think is too fattening!

Homemade shortbread is quick and easy and traditionally British. And you can tie it up in a ribbon.

Apple & cinnamon muffins (but I love muffins)

flapjack, or as someone else said, shortbread (a bit like sablés)

Lots of good ideas.

Why is nothing leaping out at me?

I think I fancy doing something Persian. How does Rosewater Cake sound? With lemon juice and cardamom and flaked almonds?

Is one big cake to cut okay, or should I do something baked in individual portions like muffins or biscuits?

I do dutch apple cake ie sponge topped with sliced apples and a crumble-like topping

traybake is better than a round cake even if it's actually the same recipe

Thing about taking a whole cake to cut is you have a dilemma of having to say well shall I leave the rest with you, and her saying Oh no, please you take it etc.
Whereas if you make individual things you can take about 6 and then the situation doesn't arise.

cheese scones
and chocolate muffins

if she's french and you're not i'd leave the parisian idea out of it

otherwise its a bit like serving bratwurst and kartoffel to a new german friend

i personally wouldn't do anything too fancy -something simple and perfectly made much better. otherwise you come over all flash

how about blueberry and lemon (or white chocolate) muffins; or or carrot and orange muffins

I would make some really nice chocolate cookies.

She said Persian not Parisian!

What did you make OP?

oops read it too fast - very tired

hope you had a nice time

I made Yazdi Cakes, and they turned out really well. I did them in little moulded tins. Very light and melt-in-the-mouth-y.

Thanks all for the suggestions!

go on then - what are yadzi cakes....?

Yazdi Cakes.

Except my recipe had rose water instead of vanilla, and I did chopped pistachios, not powdered.