Hot Cross Chocolate Teacakes
One of my favourite treats is a Tunnock's Teacake. In this recipe, I combine the components of a teacake - biscuit, chocolate and marshmallow - with the flavours of a hot cross bun.
I use Caramac for the chocolate shells (you could also try Cadbury's Caramilk), which gives the right colour. For the base, I make an Easter biscuit dough - flecked with currants, mixed spice and cinnamon. I echo the same spices in the marshmallow filling, creating a depth of flavour that cuts through the sweetness. On top, I pipe a white chocolate cross. A bite-sized taste of Easter which will receive many compliments on the Easter table.
If you don't have time to make the whole teacake, the marshmallow filling and the Easter biscuits are worth a try on their own.
Makes 12 teacakes and about 20 extra (small) Easter biscuits.
Ingredients
For the chocolate shells
For the Easter biscuits
For the marshmallow
Method
1. Break the Caramac (or equivalent) into a bowl, set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl), and stir until melted. It will be too runny to use at this stage; leave to all-but cool - it should be thicker but spreadable. In the fridge, this will take about 15 minutes, but keep checking on it.
2. Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in the same way and, using a food-safe paintbrush, paint small dots on the inside of each teacake mould (to look like currants). Set the chocolate in the fridge for 10 minutes.
3. When thickened, remove the Caramac from the fridge and use about 1 heaped teaspoon per mould to create the chocolate shells. The shells need to be sufficiently thick so they are strong and hold the filling. Reinforce the sides of the mould after a period of resting in the fridge. Leave to harden in the fridge while you make the biscuits and marshmallow.
One of my favourite treats is a Tunnock's Teacake. In this recipe, I combine the components of a teacake - biscuit, chocolate and marshmallow - with the flavours of a hot cross bun.
I use Caramac for the chocolate shells (you could also try Cadbury's Caramilk), which gives the right colour. For the base, I make an Easter biscuit dough - flecked with currants, mixed spice and cinnamon. I echo the same spices in the marshmallow filling, creating a depth of flavour that cuts through the sweetness. On top, I pipe a white chocolate cross. A bite-sized taste of Easter which will receive many compliments on the Easter table.
If you don't have time to make the whole teacake, the marshmallow filling and the Easter biscuits are worth a try on their own.
Makes 12 teacakes and about 20 extra (small) Easter biscuits.
Ingredients
For the chocolate shells
- 7 Caramac bars (30g each)
- 2 small squares of dark chocolate
- 6 small squares of white chocolate
For the Easter biscuits
- 50g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 40g caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 100g plain flour
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp milk
For the marshmallow
- 1 egg white
- 50g golden caster sugar
- 2 tsp golden syrup
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp mixed spice
- Baking tray lined with parchment
- Silicone mould with 4 cm diameter semi-sphere holes
- Piping bag with medium round nozzle
- 3.5cm (approx) round cutter
Method
1. Break the Caramac (or equivalent) into a bowl, set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl), and stir until melted. It will be too runny to use at this stage; leave to all-but cool - it should be thicker but spreadable. In the fridge, this will take about 15 minutes, but keep checking on it.
2. Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in the same way and, using a food-safe paintbrush, paint small dots on the inside of each teacake mould (to look like currants). Set the chocolate in the fridge for 10 minutes.
3. When thickened, remove the Caramac from the fridge and use about 1 heaped teaspoon per mould to create the chocolate shells. The shells need to be sufficiently thick so they are strong and hold the filling. Reinforce the sides of the mould after a period of resting in the fridge. Leave to harden in the fridge while you make the biscuits and marshmallow.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan), 210°C (non fan). To make the biscuits: using an electric hand whisk, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, add the egg yolk and beat again.
5. Add the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon and beat together - it will resemble fine breadcrumbs at this stage (see picture below).
5. Add the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon and beat together - it will resemble fine breadcrumbs at this stage (see picture below).
6. Add the currants and stir using a wooden spoon. Add the milk and stir again, bringing the dough together. The dough will be soft at this stage. Rest it in the fridge for 20 minutes.
7. Once rested, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll to a thickness of 5mm. Cut discs using a 3.5cm round cutter, and place these on a lined baking tray. (You'll make more than you need). Rest in the fridge again for 20 minutes.
8. Bake the biscuits for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling tray and leave to cool.
9. To make the marshmallow, place all of the ingredients except the spices in a large bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Whisk using an electric hand whisk for 2 minutes, and then add the spices. Continue whisking until thick (about 6 further minutes). It must be spoonable consistency and not runny at all (see picture below).
10. Assemble the teacakes: fill the moulds with marshmallow (about 1 teaspoon per mould), and then place a biscuit on top. Use the leftover Caramac, which you might need to melt and leave to thicken again (as per step 3 above), to cover the biscuits, creating a chocolate base to the teacakes. Make sure any gaps between the sides of the shell, the marshmallow and the biscuits are filled, and then neaten up using a knife. Leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours before turning them out.
11. Melt the white chocolate, leave to thicken a little in the fridge, place in a piping bag with a medium-sized round nozzle and then pipe the crosses on the top of each teacake.