– 3 mandarins
– 3 eggs
– 250g caster sugar
– 75g (half a cup) plain flour
– 1 tsp baking powder
– 200g (one and half cups) almond meal
– icing sugar for dusting
Place whole, unpeeled mandarins in a saucepan with water to cover. (To keep them underwater you may need to weigh them down with an inverted saucer or bowl.) Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes, or until the mandarins are very soft.
Drain the mandarins and allow to cool until you can handle them without burning the tips off your fingers. Now, halve them and remove the seeds. Then blitz them to a pulp in a food processor.
Pre-heat the oven to 170C.
Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale (use an electric mixer for this). Fold in the flour, baking powder and almond meal until just combined. Then finally fold in the mandarin puree.
Spoon the mixture into a greased and paper-lined cake tin. I find it works well in both a 25cm diameter round tin, or a 24cm square tin.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.
Serve dusted with icing sugar with cream, or for complete decadence chocolate icecream or mousse.