Girl Logic

Girl logic is a strange thing. I’m sure all men would agree, that sometimes women are inscrutable. I don’t suppose it’s something we do on purpose. It’s not about confusing people, the strange things we do have certain rationalisations, even if they don’t appear to make any sense at all. Why wear uncomfortable shoes? Flats are just as cute, however heels are more glamorous, and have the added advantage of making your legs look thinner. Why buy a cookbook for one recipe in particular, and then change it?

When I bought my new cookbook, the recipe that caught my eye was for jaffa cakes. I love the chocolate and orange combination, and those little biscuits were the catalyst many years ago. Whenever we visited my aunty, she would always serve them, and I’d get stuck into those while she and my mum chatted over coffee. So why did I adapt it into strawberry jelly cakes when I was so looking forward to trying the orange?

I can’t really explain it! But part of me thinks it might have been to test the water, to iron out the kinks so that when I do attempt these delightful jaffa cakes, they are perfect. See what I mean about girl logic!

I am not sorry, however, that I made this flavour change, because they turned out very nicely. Basically, it is a hybrid sponge cake/biscuit base, topped with a round of strawberry jelly and covered in chocolate. It was a challenge to only nibble one bite before photographing it! I love the versatility of this recipe more than anything. You can substitute almost any flavour for the jelly inside! I am sure it would even work with rounds of buttercream or ganache for a decadent treat. These are best eaten on the day they’re made.

Strawberry Jelly Cakes
Recipe adapted from Australian Women’s Weekly Cookies
Makes 25-30

• ½ cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup plain flour, sifted well
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar, extra
• 200g dark chocolate, melted
• 200g white chocolate, melted

Strawberry Jelly – I would recommend making double this, in two cake pans
• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon strawberry jam
• 1 cup water
• 85g packet strawberry jelly crystals

1. To make strawberry jelly, combine water and jam in a small saucepan, and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and add jelly crystals, then stir until completely dissolved. Line a medium size rectangular cake pan with baking paper. Pour jelly into pan and refrigerate until set.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two oven trays with baking paper. I traced around a 4.5cm round cookie cutter with pencil on one side of the baking paper, then turned it over with the pencil side down.
3. Spread sugar evenly over base of shallow oven tray; heat in oven until sugar feels hot to touch. Beat eggs in a small bowl with electric mixer on high speed for 1 minute, then add hot sugar. Beat for about 10 minutes or until mixture is thick and will hold its shape.
4. Fit large piping bag with plain 1cm tube.
5. Fold in sifted flour to egg mixture. Place mixture in piping bag, and pipe 4.5cm rounds onto oven trays, about 3cm apart.
6. Sprinkle each round evenly with extra sugar. Bake each tray one at a time, for 5-10 minutes. Cool on trays.
7. Lift jelly from pan to board, and using the 4.5cm round cutter, cut out shapes.
8. Top each sponge with a round of jelly, place on wire rack over tray, and coat with chocolate.

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