Mandarin Creams

I don’t remember eating these Mandarin Creams as a child, but there are some handwritten notes by Mummy Traybakes on the recipe, so maybe my memory is failing me!

It’s a simple digestive biscuit base, topped with a creamy, marshmallow and mandarin orange layer. I feel it’s a bit similar to a Pineapple Delight (which frankly is up there with Fifteens as one of the classic Northern Irish traybakes) especially because of the fruit and digestive biscuits.

The combination of the melted marshmallows and milk mixed with the cream and mandarin oranges has a wobbly, jelly-like consistency. Best kept in the fridge, especially because of the cream in the topping.

The original recipe called for a ‘small’ tin of mandarin oranges. I could only get quite a large one and decided to use it all anyway and I’m happy with the results. If you don’t want as high a ratio of fruit to marshmallow jelly, then feel free to use a smaller tin than I did!

And these Mandarin Creams got me feeling all nostalgic for tinned mandarin oranges, because apart from traybake recipes, I don’t think I use tinned fruit for anything these days. Mandarin oranges were the topping of choice for Mummy Traybakes’ pavlovas. And now I may need to go and make a pavlova…!

The crushed digestives over the top of the traybake aren’t essential, but I think it looks better than leaving them plain. Just be aware that the topping will lose a little crunch if these sit uneaten for too long!

Ingredients

Base

8oz/225g crushed digestives/Graham Crackers

4oz/110g butter

2oz/55g soft brown sugar

Topping

4fl oz/125ml milk

6oz/175g marshmallows (about 24 standard sized marshmallows)

4fl oz/125 ml cream

1 tin mandarin oranges (mine was 15oz/454g), drained

Method

1. Crush the biscuits in a food processor to get fine crumbs. I also added the sugar at this stage so that it would be well incorporated.
2. Melt the butter and add to the biscuits and sugar. Press firmly into a lined tin. I used my 8inch/20cm square tin.
3. Melt the marshmallows with the milk in a small saucepan, then set aside to cool slightly. Whip the cream until stiff, fold in the drained tin of mandarin oranges and then fold into the mallow mixture.
4. Spread over the base and place in the fridge to set. The mixture will be a little thin at this stage, but it should set!
5. Slice into squares and sprinkle some crushed digestives over the top, if desired.

Pin It For Later!