Pineapple upside-down puddings

Ingredients:

• ½ an orange, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk, warmed
• 100g butter, melted
• ¾ cup soft brown sugar
• ½ cup golden syrup
• 3 tsp mixed spice
• 2¼ cups self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 8-10 slices of pineapple
• 1 cup cream, softly whipped to serve (optional)

Caramel Sauce

• 100g butter
• ¾ cup golden syrup
• ¾ cup soft brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180°C fanbake. Place orange, eggs, milk, butter, sugar, golden syrup and mixed spice in a food processor and whizz until smooth. Add flour and baking soda and pulse until just combined (do not over-mix).

To make caramel sauce, bring all ingredients to a boil in a small pot, then remove from heat. Spoon a tablespoon into each of 8-10 Texan muffin pans or ramekins, reserving the rest for serving. Place a slice of pineapple in each, then divide the pudding batter over the top.

Bake until the puddings are risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (about 30 minutes). Stand for 5 minutes before running a knife around the edges and cutting off any peaks so they sit flat when inverted. Turn out onto a tray, then top with the remaning Caramel Sauce. Serve hot or warm with softly whipped cream, if desired.

 This recipe is extracted from Through the Seasons by Annabel Langbein (ABC Books RRP $49.99) and is available from ABC Online and good book shops.