I don’t even really like Jaffa cakes if I am honest. Not since I worked for a VAT consultant in 1991 and the whole “for VAT purposes are they a cake or a biscuit?” debate kicked off (biscuits with chocolate on them are subject to VAT, cake is not and McVities claimed they were a cake. HMRC were not convinced).
And since then they have got smaller so I am really not impressed.
But then they were made on the Great British Bake Off last week and I realised they might be quite a fun thing to make. Or at least attempt to make. So on a day when I was trying to take it easy after a lot of walking the day before I fired up the Thermomix and had a go, since all the ingredients that you have at home anyway.
I also had no idea that there was a “right or wrong way up” until #JaffaCakeGate happened when I was melting the chocolate and I decided to tweet a pic of naked Jaffa cakes, to be met with an overwhelming response of “IT’S UPSIDE DOWN YOU FOOL”.
Oops
The recipe was actually pretty simple and not too labour intensive at all:
- One packet of gelatine leaves (15 sheets)
- 75g sugar
- 250g orange juice (the best quality you can buy as you want a real hit of orange flavour)
- seedless apricot jam
- 300g dark chocolate
- 4 eggs
- 100g caster sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 120g plain flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees
- Grease two 12 bun Yorkshire Pudding tins
- Line a baking tray with cling film
- To make the jelly put all of the gelatine sheets and sugar in the mixing bowl. Whizz for 30 Sec. / Speed 10.
- Add the orange juice. Whizz 5 Sec. / Speed 5.
- Warm 5 Mins. / 80°C / Speed 3.
- Pour into clingfilm lined baking tray and put somewhere cool to set (takes about an hour)
- Wash bowl.
- Insert whisk attachment to the mixing bowl. Break in the eggs, add the sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk 6 Mins. / 37°C / Speed 4.
- Scrape down side of bowl with spatula
- Whisk again 6 Mins. / Speed 4. .
- Add the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix 5 Sec. / Speed 3.
- Using a dessert spoon gently fill the 24 bun holes.
- Wash bowl.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Leave to cool
- Making sure the top of the bun remains the top (ie if you turn them over to cool remember to flip them again)
- Use the end of a teaspoon to put a dot of apricot jam on each bun. This helps the jelly stick to the sponge.
- Use a Champagne glass (I found this was the perfect size as it is slightly smaller than the sponge) cut a circle of jelly and place on top of each bun, pressing gently onto the jam. (save left over jelly to eat with cream)
- Melt chocolate in the mixing bowl for 10 Sec. / Speed 9.
- Scrape down sides
- Melt 5 Min. / 37°C / Speed 1.
- Use a spoon to put chocolate onto of each jaffa cake and smooth it over top of sponge and jelly using the back.
- Leave for chocolate to harden.
Okay, my chocolate skills need some work but they don’t taste bad!
Wow, you’re on fire!!! They look yum and I don’t even like jaffa cakes! P.S We still need out night out/in with Lady Briggs x
Thanks Emma! Yes we do need to do that
Haha I love the Instagram comments!
They look very good. I’m a huge fan of jaffa cakes, once I start, I can’t stop eating them!
I still think they look epic! and #jaffagate did make me chuckle last night! you have gone to so much effort so far in the bake along, and it is still only week one!!! thank you again for joining in and making me drool and laugh in equal measures xx
BOOM! Jaffa-tastic!
Orange and chocolate are the devil but these look good – that Twitter thread made me chortle!
Hahaha, I was going through the same debate in my mind when I blogged my jaffa cakes – are they are a cake or a biscuit and I seem to vaguely recall the HMRC debate from way back. These look absolutely great, packed with yummy orange flavour.
Angela x
Oh my life, yes! I’m almost afraid to attempt jaffa cakes because I think homemade ones would ruin me for shop bought forever.
Well done for getting star baker! I laughed out loud at the Twitter convo.. classic! x