cranberry jaffa cakes

tart cranberry jelly, brown sugar sponge, dark chocolate

these cranberry jaffa cakes feel just right for christmas

the cranberries bring that bright, festive tartness, the brown sugar sponge adds a soft warmth, and the dark chocolate makes them feel a little more special without any extra fuss

swap the cranberry with marmalade for classic jaffa cakes

they’re small, simple, and cosy — the sort of thing you can make ahead for a quiet afternoon tea or tuck onto a christmas dessert plate

a friendly little twist on the classic that fits neatly into the season

yields six

ingredients

cranberry jelly

25g dried cranberries

50mL orange juice or water

0.25 tsp citric acid

1 tsp gelatine

brown sugar sponge

1 egg

40g brown sugar

40g self-raising flour

assembly

75g dark chocolate

method

cranberry jelly

start the night before by soaking the dried cranberries (25g) in liquid (orange juice or water, 50mL) overnight

once the cranberries are plumb and hydrated, sprinkle in the citric acid (0.25 tsp) and transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth

pour the mixture into a saucepan

sprinkle over the gelatine powder (1 tsp) and let hydrate for 5 minutes

heat gently over low-medium heat until the gelatine has fully dissolved

transfer to a lidded container and let set in the fridge, at least 2 hours

brown sugar sponge

preheat the oven to 180C

lightly grease 6-holes of a standard muffin tin

whisk together the egg (1) and brown sugar (40g) until lightened

fold in the self-raising flour (40g) and a pinch of salt

pour into the prepared muffin tins

bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the tops are matte

let cool and remove from the tins

assembly

melt the dark chocolate (75g)

using a small serrated knife, carve the tops off each sponge

spoon the cooled, set cranberry jelly into the top of each sponge

dollop over the dark chocolate and spread gently with the back of a spoon

transfer to the fridge to set

enjoy with a cup of tea