Steamed marmalade sponge

2 HOURS 30 MINUTES

SERVES 4-6 | EASY

Also from the team at Elite Bistros, this sponge is brilliantly light and absolutely perfect for soaking up the orange syrup. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a generous dollop of whipped cream.

golden syrup 100g

butter 120g, plus extra for the tin

caster sugar 85g

eggs 2, beaten

self-raising flour 120g, sifted

bicarbonate of soda 1/2 tsp

whole milk 65ml

lemon 1, zested

ORANGE SYRUP orange 1 granulated sugar 170g

• First, make the syrup. Slice the orange in half and squeeze out every last bit of juice into a small pan and remove any pips. Use a spoon to scrape all the remaining pith from the inside of the orange and discard. Take the remaining peel and shred into small strips with a knife (think thick-cut marmalade size). Add this to the juice, tip in the sugar, top up with 285ml of water and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Put the pan over a low heat and simmer for 1-2 hours or until the peel has softened

(if the peel is still hard but the liquid in the pan is getting low, add more water and reduce back down again). Set aside and leave to cool to room temperature.

• Heat the oven to 110C/ fan 90C/gas 1/4 and put a roasting tin filled 4cm high with water in to warm. The tray should be large enough to fit a non-stick 450g loaf tin inside. Brush the loaf tin with a little butter, then line with a strip of baking paper that runs along the bottom, leaving a slight overhang at each end.

• Use an electric mixer to beat 50g of the golden syrup with all the butter and sugar on high speed for 5 minutes until the paste is very light and creamy. Turn the speed down on the mixer to low, slowly add the beaten egg until it is all incorporated, then add the flour and bicarbonate bit by bit until the mixture is bound together. Fold the milk and lemon zest into the mixture. Turn up the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.

• Pour the rest of the golden syrup into the base of the tin, then spoon over the sponge mixture. Cover the top of the tin very tightly with two layers of foil. Put the tin in the tray of water in the oven and bake for 45 minutes-1 hour. Check after 45 minutes by carefully peeling back the foil – the sponge will have risen and should have a slight spring to it when touched. Once the sponge is ready, cool for 5 minutes in the tray.

• To flip the sponge, remove the foil from the tin and place a large plate on top. Hold the plate and tin in both hands and carefully flip over. If the sponge doesn’t release straight away, give it a little bit of encouragement with the overhang of baking paper at either end. Warm the orange syrup slightly and spoon over the sponge a little at a time, allowing it to soak into it and drizzle down the sides. Serve, sliced, with cream or ice cream and extra syrup.

PER SERVING (6) 475 KCALS | FAT 19G

SATURATES 11G | CARBS 71G | SUGARS 56G

FIBRE 1G | PROTEIN 5G | SALT 1G