Mandarin and Fennel Crumble Slice

Morning Tea is, in my opinion, the most important meal of the day. It brings people together for delicious treats, and in the case of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, raises vital funds for cancer research and those impacted by cancer! What’s not to love!?

As part of this year’s event I’ve created the perfect slice for your morning tea, celebrating mandarins in all their seasonal citrusy glory! The mandarin is so often skipped over in favour of more classically bombastic citrus varieties (I’m looking at you, lemon and lime!), in part because the flavour of mandarin’s can be easily lost in baking.

The key to lifting their flavour to the heights they deserves is to pair them with their tenacious cousin - the lemon. Used in just the right amount, lemon provides the citric kick mandarins need without overtaking it. You’ll see in the recipe below that I’ve used three mandarins with one lemon. I found this was the perfect balance to add the zing needed to breathe new life into mandarin’s delicate flavour.

Not only is this slice full of bright flavour, it has beautifully contrasting textures to match. One of the great things about this recipe is that the same mix is used for the base and the crumble. Two-thirds of the mix is used for the base, which is lightly compacted and baked before topping with the custard. The remaining base/crumble mix - with added almonds - is then sprinkled over the top and baked until lightly golden and the filling is set.

The result - a firm base, a zesty, velvety baked custard filling, and a rubbly top. It is pure textural bliss!

And finally, a quick note on the fennel seeds. My love of using spices in baking is well known. Cinnamon and cardamom are the often the go-to spices in the baking world, but a well stocked spice drawer opens you up to a world of baking possibilities. Don’t be scared to experiment with the spices you have hiding in your kitchen! You could leave these out if fennel isn’t your thing, but I beg you to give it a go with the seeds included. It might seem strange to add a savoury-leaning spice to a sweet bake, but here the fennel seeds add an additional layer of delicious intrigue to the slice, and pair perfectly with the mandarin.

Watch my how-to video on Instagram

INGREDIENTS

Base and crumble

• 100g unsalted butter, room temp

• 150g brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 125g plain flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 85g rolled oats

• 50g almonds, roughly chopped

• 1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds

Filling

• 3 large mandarins, weighing about 360g

• Juice and zest of 1 lemon

• 100g caster sugar

• 65g unsalted butter, room temp

• Pinch of salt

• 3 eggs, room temperature

• 10g corn flour

METHOD

Base and crumble

• Grease and line a square 20cm/8-inch tin and pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C.

• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

• Add the flour, salt, baking powder and vanilla and beat on low until mostly combined.

• Add the oats and fennel seeds (if using) and beat until combined. The mix will be crumbly and dry, which is what you want!

• Place two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared tin and gently press down to smooth. Be careful not to press the base in too firmly. Stir the chopped almonds through the remaining crumble mix and set aside.

• Bake for 20-25 mins, or until golden on the edges. Once baked, set aside and reduce oven to 160 degrees.

Prepare the filling and bake

• Zest and juice the mandarins and lemon and place in a large saucepan, along with the sugar, salt, corn flour and eggs. Whisk to combine. Add the butter.

• Place the saucepan on a medium/low heat and cook, stirring constantly alternating between a whisk and a spatula, until the butter has melted and the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon – about 5-10 mins. You want a similar thickness to a store-bought custard from a carton.

• Pour the custard through a sieve, then gently pour the custard over the baked base.

• Top with the remaining crumble mix and bake for 20-25 mins or until the crumble is golden and the filling is set.

• Leave to cool to room temperature in the tin, then remove and cut into squares. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days.