Serves 4
For the sponge: 100g margarine. 100g caster sugar. 80g self raising flour. 20g ground sunflower seeds. 1tsp baking powder. 25g dried cranberries. ½ tsp vanilla paste. 2 medium eggs (room temp). 4 heaped teaspoons of soft brown sugar. 4 teaspoons golden syrup. Margarine for greasing. 4x 6cm by 7cm rings, lined with paper, and aluminium foil on one side. ¼ fresh pineapple, cut into small wedges.
Preheat the oven to 170 deg celsius. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl (apart from the cranberries) and mix until light and fluffy. Fold in the cranberries and place into a piping bag. Generously grease the foil on the base the ring with margarine, split the sugar and syrup evenly between each ring. Cover the base of each ring with pineapple, then pipe sponge ¾ of the way up the ring. Bake in the oven for around 12-15 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean from the centre of the sponge.
For the crème diplomat: 187.5 whole milk. 45g yolk. 35g caster sugar. 15g corn flour. 115g double cream. ½ tsp vanilla paste.
Put the double cream in a mixing bowl and whip until soft peak, then place in the fridge. Combine the egg yolk, sugar and corn flour in a small mixing bowl and mix until combined. Place the whole milk and vanilla in a small saucepan, and bring to the boil. Pour half of the milk onto the egg yolk mix and mix until combined then pour this back into the pan, whilst mixing continuously. Cook until thick and you can no longer taste the flour. Place on a tray, cover with cling film and push onto the crème patisserie. Once this mix is fridge cold, combine with the whipped cream.
For the pineapple salsa: 2 rings of fresh pineapple. Splash of Malibu. 2 leaves of mint, finely cut.
Dice the pineapple and combine with the Malibu and mint.
Pineapple balls: 125g pineapple juice. Green food colouring. 6g gelificant vegetal. Chilled vegetable oil.
Combine the apple juice, colouring and veg gel in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour into a bottle, and then do droplets into the cold oil. Allow to cool, and then strain through sieve. Rinse with wash water and then dry.
