(Serves 4)

• 500ml milk

• 1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated

• 1 tablespoon honey

• ¼ cup almonds, roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon extra

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons wholemeal flour

• 1 pinch salt

• 6 seedless mandarins, peeled and halved

• 2 tablespoons water

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 whole egg

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 tablespoon cornflour

1. Infuse the milk
   In a jug, combine grated ginger, milk and honey. Let infuse for 10–15 minutes (or up to a day ahead in the fridge).

2. Make the almond crumble
   In a small bowl, mix almonds, 1 tablespoon olive oil, brown sugar, wholemeal flour and a pinch of salt until crumbly. Heat a pan over medium heat and toast the mixture, stirring constantly. When you smell toasted almonds and the sugar starts to stick slightly, remove from heat and transfer back into the bowl to cool.

3. Caramelise the mandarins
   Wipe out the pan and return to medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and place mandarins cut-side down. Cook until caramelised, then add 2 tablespoons of water to create a syrupy glaze. Flip to caramelise the other side, then set aside to keep warm.

4. Make the custard
   Pour the ginger-infused milk into a saucepan and gently bring to a simmer over low heat (don’t boil). Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, whole egg, sugar and cornflour in a large bowl until smooth. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until thickened and it coats the back of the spoon. If lumps appear, whisk to smooth it out.

5. Serve & enjoy
   Divide custard into 4 bowls, top with warm mandarins and sprinkle generously with almond crumble.

Snapshot!

Each serve of mandarin, ginger custard with almond crumble provides 1649 kJ of energy and 10.7 g protein from eggs and milk.

Total fat is 19.4 g, with only 4.6 g saturated fat and plenty of healthy fats (11 g MUFA, 2.3 g PUFA).

Carbs sit at 44.1 g, with 39.1 g sugars mostly from fruit, honey and added sugar, balanced by 3.4 g fibre.

Sodium is low (116 mg), while potassium (533 mg) and phosphorus (251 mg) are moderate.

What it means on the plate

This dessert is lighter than many traditional custards thanks to olive oil in the crumble and fresh fruit. It still has a higher sugar load, but it’s paired with fibre, protein and healthy fats to make it more satisfying and balanced. A treat that feels indulgent but delivers more nutrition than most sweets.

Food group balance → A sweet dish with fruit, nuts and dairy adding more balance than your average dessert.

• Grains: 0.3 serves (wholemeal flour)

• Fruit: 0.6 serves (mandarins)

• Protein foods: 0.5 serves (eggs + almonds)

• Dairy: 0.5 serves (milk)

CWJ Takeaway

A zingy, nourishing dessert that balances indulgence with goodness. Fruit, nuts and dairy make this more than just a sweet treat.