Old-School Recipe: Cinnamon Oysters

First of all, there are no oysters involved in this recipe, so breathe a sigh of relief. Cinnamon Oysters are actually an incredibly light, fluffy cake filled with whipped cream. These made their debut in the 1951 League of Mothers' Cookery Book and Household Hints, and the recipe was contributed by a Mrs. Douglas Brown of Anderson's Bay in Dunedin, New Zealand.

I made these for a holiday dinner I had last year and they were a huge hit. Because they are so sponge-like and light, they make the perfect dessert after a decadent or heavy meal. Since I don't have "patty tins" I just used a miniature muffin pan instead, and they turned out perfectly.

Cinnamon Oysters
(adapted from Cuisine magazine)

For flouring tins:
1 TBS flour
1 TBS caster sugar

For the cakes:
2 eggs
3 TBS caster sugar
2 TS golden syrup (or honey)
3.5 TBS flour
1 TS cinnamon
1/4 TS baking soda
1 TS ground ginger

Filling:
1/4 pint of cream, whipped

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly grease mini muffin tin with butter, then sift the 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon caster sugar over it. Turn tray upside down over the sink and tap it to remove the excess.

For the cakes: Warm the mixing bowl (I just did this with hot water) and break in the 2 eggs.Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, adding the sugar gradually until the mixture is extremely light and fluffy. Pour in the slightly warmed golden syrup and keep beating for at least another 5 minutes. When you lift the beaters out, the mixture should fall in ribbons and remain on the surface for several seconds before sinking. Sift the dry ingredients, including the baking soda, onto the egg mixture, and fold them in very gently using a large spatula, turning the bowl as you go. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a couple of minutes until the cakes shrink away from the tins a little. They can be a bit tough to get out, so turn out carefully, loosening them if necessary with a round-bladed knife. Cut a slit in the side of each cake with a small serrated knife, and spoon or pipe in some whipped cream. Dust with icing sugar and serve. Makes 12.