Monday, May 19, 2014

Mini Mandarin and Almond Cakes

Autumn & Winter is the time that citrus fruit is at its most bountiful and delicious. 

I had a slightly unwell little person at home with me today (He was coughing and running a slight temp & he didn't complain when I said that a sick day meant time in bed! I think he needed a Mental Health Day) and we splurged after dropping off his sister at school with a coffee and a cupcake. The cupcake was a Gluten Free Mandarin cake & little Mr and I shared it & he LOVED it. He wanted to know if we could make it & I told him that I had made them previously, so I would hunt out the recipe & we could make them (after he had a big sleep).


Mini Mandarin & Almond Cakes

Ingredients
·            3 seedless mandarins, skin on
·            1 cup caster sugar
·            1 cinnamon sticks
·            125g butter, softened
·            3 eggs
·            1 1/2 cups almond meal (ground almonds)
·            1/3 cup plain flour (or for Gluten Free option, use Corn Flour or Gluten Free Plain Flour)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Place liners in a 12 hole muffin pan.
  2. Combine mandarins, 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon and 2 cups cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil, covered, for 15 minutes or until mandarin skin is tender. Remove mandarin and process in a food processor until mandarin is almost smooth. Cool.
  3. In an electric mixer, beat butter and ½ cup sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in almond meal, flour and mandarin purée. Spoon mixture into prepared cases. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.