WHAT’S FOR
(AFTERNOON) TEA?
Therese Slee, of Elysian Afternoon Teas in Newport, has kindly provided Food Bytes readers with another one of her personal recipes.
Of her famous ginger fluff sponges, Therese says: “They are presented at afternoon teas, cut and filled with jam and mock cream, topped with chocolate icing and decorated with mock cream – just like my mother used to do.”
GINGER FLUFF SPONGES
Grease and line the base of two 20-centimetre round cake tins with paper.
Preheat oven to moderate.
Ingredients:
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 dessertspoon golden syrup
1/2 cup cornflour
1 teaspoon cocoa
2 teaspoons ground ginger
Plain flour (no more than 1 cup total)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Measure and sift all dry ingredients. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in castor sugar until dissolved. Beat in egg yolks one at a time and then golden syrup. Gently fold in sifted dry ingredients. Leave plain flour until last and gradually add until the mixture is the consistency of a thick batter (you may not need all the flour but do not use any more than 1 cup). Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins. Tap the tins gently on the bench to remove any large air bubbles. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cakes are baked when they spring back when lightly touched and have shrunk a little from the sides of the tin. Allow to cool five minutes before removing from the tin and cover with a tea towel once they are removed.
