Mandarin Puddings

I can't claim this recipe as my own but I can claim that I made it and it was a success!  All hail Valli Little of Delicious Magazine fame.......she is a legend.  Sweet, moist, spongy little bundles of delight swimming in a warm, zesty little syrup is the epitome of winter on a plate......and love in my tummy!

Serves 6

Butter and castor sugar for greasing and dusting
90g of castor sugar
90g of butter, unsalted and softened
90g of self raising flour
1 mandarin, thinly sliced
1 mandarin, juiced
1/2 tsp of baking powder
2 eggs
11/2 tbs of sour cream
1 tbs of marmalade
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
2 tsp of golden syrup
Pure cream or custard to serve

Mandarin Syrup:

1/3 cup of castor sugar
Juice of 2 mandarins
2 tbs of golden syrup

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Grease six dariole moulds or ramekins (1 cup capacity) with a little  softened butter and place about 1/2 a teaspoon of castor sugar in each.  Swirl the sugar around each one so they have a lovely crystal coating.  Line the base of each with a slice of mandarin, tucked in firmly at the bottom.

Place the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with electric beaters until pale and thick.  Add the flour, baking powder, eggs, sour cream, marmalade, spices, golden syrup and juice and beat for 2-3 minutes more.  If it looks a little split, don't fret! Divide the pudding batter  evenly between the 6 ramekins and be sure to lick the beaters.......divine.

Cut 6 small squares of foil and six small squares of baking paper. Place a piece of baking paper on a sheet of foil and fold a pleat through the centre.  Lay the sheet, baking paper side down, over the top of a pudding.  Tie securely with a piece of kitchen string and repeat with the remaining moulds.  Place the moulds in a deep roasting pan and pour boiling water to about half way up the sides of the moulds.  Put the tray carefully in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

To make the syrup place the sugar, mandarin juice and golden syrup in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves.  Once dissolved and simmering increase the heat and allow to bubble away for 5 minutes until reduced and syrupy.

Remove the foil from the top of the puds and invert each one into a serving bowl. Drizzle over a little cream and the syrup and serve.......