Individual Steamed Sponges – 3 Flavours

Having made a large, stove-top steamed treacle sponge the other day I thought I would try some individual one, steamed in the oven, with some different flavours too.

I found a recipe on Good Housekeeping which I doubled for my purposes.  It actually made slightly more batter than my 8 dariole moulds could take, so I made four small sponges in a muffin tin as well.

The recipe is very easy and works so well, giving a lovely light sponge and with a variety of flavours available you can mix and match.  For mine I used golden syrup, seedless raspberry jam and lemon curd.  Each of them worked very well indeed giving a very tasty dessert, especially when served warm with custard or cream.

These are so easy to make and I am sure everyone who tries them will just love them.  If you dont have dariole moulds any small oven proof cup or dish will do.

• 250g softened butter
• 250g caster sugar
• 250g self raising flour
• 4 medium eggs(large in USA)
• 150ml of milk
• zest of one lemon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 3 tbsp raspberry jam
• 2 tbsp lemon curd(or any combination of flavours you wish)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
2. Heavily grease 8 dariole mould, or equivalent.
3. In a stand mixer(or using a hand mixer) cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix to combine
5. Add the lemon zest and mix in.
6. Stir the ground ginger into the flour.
7. Add the flour and milk into the bowl and gently mix, adding first flour, then some milk, then flour, the rest of the milk and then the rest of the flour.  Note( I only used about 130ml of the milk).
8. Place a tsbp of whichever flavours you are using into each of the moulds.
9. Add batter to each mould until almost up to the top.
10. Cover the top so each mould with a square of foil, pleated down the middle, and pull down the sides and hold in place with an elastic band or string.
11. Place the moulds into a roasting tin and put into the oven, pouring boiling water into to tin until it is 3/4 inch up the sides of the mould.
12. Bake for 25 minutes, until a skewer poked in the centre comes our clean.
13. Remove from the oven and from the roasting tin and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
14. Remove the foil and gently a knife around the edge to loosen the top of the sponge.
15. Turn out onto a plate, the filling should top the spone and run down the sides, giving a lovely appearance and just ready to serve with custard or cream.