Mandarins are at their absolute peak right now, and there are only so many you can eat straight from the bowl. This loaf uses the whole segments — juice and all — in an almond-flour batter softened with olive oil. It's the kind of thing to slice thickly, toast lightly, and eat standing up in a cold kitchen.
Makes 10 slices
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
- Energy: 227 kcal
- Protein: 7 g
- Fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrate: 9 g
- Fibre: 3 g
Estimated values.
Ingredients
- 200 g almond flour (ground almonds)
- 3 eggs
- 60 ml olive oil
- 60 g honey
- 3 mandarins — zest of 2, plus about 180 g of segments, chopped
- 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- 20 g flaked almonds, for the top
Method
- Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan) and line a 900 g loaf tin with baking paper.
- Whisk the eggs, olive oil, honey, vanilla and mandarin zest together until glossy.
- Fold in the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until just combined — don't overwork it.
- Gently fold through the chopped mandarin segments, keeping some pieces whole. The batter will be loose; that's right.
- Scrape into the tin, scatter the flaked almonds over the top and bake for 45–50 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out with just a crumb or two. Cover loosely with foil if it browns early.
- Cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out. It keeps for 3 days wrapped, or slice and freeze.
Gluten-free, dairy-free and refined-sugar-free — sweetened only with honey and the fruit itself.