Microwaveable gluten free jam sponge...

As I was writing yesterday's post it suddenly occurred to me that we could be doing more with the microwave oven whilst we are without a conventional oven. We've come to think of microwaves as heating up quickly devices rather than cooking devices.

M had a vague recollection of a jam sponge that could be cooked in the microwave using the 4, 4, 4, 2 rule. No idea what that is actually, something to do with ounces. Ounces? I prefer metric.

With less than half an hour to go before taking the children to cricket training he decided to throw all the ingredients together and try it out. We used self raising gluten free flour and dairy free butter (sunflower spread) and homemade plum jam watered down a little because it was quite thick.

I thought I'd share the recipe...

100g self raising flour

100g margarine

100g sugar

2 eggs

2 dessert spoons of jam or lemon curd or chocolate spread or treacle...you get the idea.

Throw it all in a mixing bowl and use an electric whisk until smooth. Place mix in a greased two pint pudding bowl. Cover with cling film and puncture once in the middle. Microwave on full power for five minutes. Stand for two minutes then turn upside down onto a plate.

It did look rather anaemic compared to an oven baked sponge but it tastes absolutely wonderful. I'm guessing that you'd get a slightly more raised sponge if you use ordinary self raising rather than gluten free flour. This is a sponge I could serve the children without them knowing it was gluten free.

A ten minute pudding! Success.