Mini Victoria sponge

On Saturday I set about tidying my room. This was even less fun than I expected. Especially on a sunny day, and especially when it took me two hours to clean the goddamned windows. As soon as you start to notice the dust in London that’s the end of it. The only option is to zone out into a state of ignorance and back to ignoring the grime and dust that settles on everything – especially the clean, hard surfaces.

Anyway, half way through this fairly traumatic day I decided to go for a walk. I’d heard about a vintage fair at Shoreditch Town Hall, and thought it would be fun. I queued. I paid my £2. I got in, and it was all rails of fusty fur coats. Nothing vintage-themed…but just old stuff which I wasn’t in the mood for. It was dark anyway. So I thought I’d find a little smackral on Columbia Road and sit and read my book in the sun.

I went to Treacle, and was hit by the wall of warm cupcakes…but by this point I’d spent my £2 on the entrance to the stupid fair and couldn’t afford one. I stalked about the place trying to find something for the remaining £1.18 I had rattling about in my pocket. But the nearest was a £1.20 croissant at Campania. So I went back home and decided to make something myself and sit and read book on the sofa instead.

But, all this grumpiness turned quite happy in the end. I thought I’d try some mini Victoria sponges in rosti rings which actually turned out to be quite brilliant – far more nibblable than a big old sponge cake. So, here’s the recipe which I used. Highly recommended!

Ingredients
200g unsalted, softened butter
200g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
200g self raising flour
Jam (I used Mum’s redcurrent and strawberry-thank’s Mum!)
250ml double cream (whipped)
Icing sugar

Use an electric whisk to mix the butter and caster sugar until it’s white and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs – one at a time, then fold in the flour.

Spoon into the greased rosti rings which should be placed on a greaseproof and ovenproof sheet. Cook for 25 minutes in an oven at 180C.

When the sponge is cool, push them out of the rosti rings, cut them in half, then slather jam on one side, cream on the other and put them together like a sandwich. Dust with icing sugar by tapping it through a sieve from a height. Enjoy!