Flourless Mandarin Orange Almond Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 large orange
2 mandarins
6 tablespoon white chia seeds
18 tablespoon water
250 g almond meal (weigh with scales)
1 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup slivered almonds (topping)
Maple syrup as desired (topping)

Instructions:

In a medium sized saucepan, cover whole mandarins and orange in cold water and bring to the boil. Drain well then repeat.

Drain water then cover inc old water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until fruit is tender. Drain well and set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chia seeds and water. Set aside to allow mixture to go gooey (approx. 10 minutes).

Roughly cut up the mandarins and orange, removing any seeds or nasties, then mix in a food processor (including peel) until smooth.

Whisk caster sugar into the chia mixture. Add almond meal, baking powder and mandarin and orange mixture then stir until combined.

Preheat oven to 180C and prepare your cake pans and cupcake liners.

Pour cake batter into your pans or liners and top with slivered almonds. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

Drizzle with maple syrup as desired.