Chocolate marshmallow teacakes

 

This is my attempt at the Great British Bake Off technical challenge of chocolate marshmallow teacakes.  For non-UK readers, The Great British Bake Off is a phenomenally popular television programme where each week competitors bake around a theme; week by week the weakest is eliminated until a winner is found.  The round that is likely to elicit the most drama (and sympathy from viewers!) is the technical challenge where the bakers are given a recipe (with no warning as to what it will be) and have to create the bake with minimal instructions.  Of the recent series’ technical challenges, I think this one created the most drama and interest.

Now I buy a lot of cake tins.  I admit this.  When they arrive, I show Mr CC who – if I’m lucky – will actually look at the tin before asking me, with a mild tinge of sarcasm, where I plan on storing it (my cupboards are full of cake tins.  Very full.  Luckily I played a lot of Tetris in my youth).  This is the standard way new cake tins are greeted.  A couple of weeks before this technical challenge appeared, I had actually purchased the silicone half sphere moulds required.  Mr CC got quite into the recent series and his eyes became saucer-like as he watched the giant teacakes take shape.  I was watching thinking, ‘thank god I’m not on the show and won’t ever have to faff around making them’.  At which point Mr CC announced, ‘you HAVE to make those!’  In a split second, I opted for deceit. ‘But I’d have to buy the moulds – where would I store them?’  And guess what?  For the first time in history, Mr CC decided to remember one of my purchases and caught me out.  He remembered that I had the half sphere moulds.  Typical!

I was surprised to get a shiny chocolate finish because my flat – even without the heating on – is like a furnace.  If I hadn’t put the moulds in the fridge they would never have set.  I was all prepared for matt finish chocolate, but knowing my only critic was Mr CC who would struggle to get past the wonder of the biggest chocolate teacake he had ever seen, I knew I’d be ok – but I needn’t have worried anyway!

For the uninitiated, a teacake is a crisp biscuit base topped with sticky mallow and enclosed in a dome of chocolate.  When I tasted the biscuits on their own, I found them a little flavourless, but when tasted in the finished teacake they are perfect.

I played around with the order of making things – I didn’t fancy the pressure of making the biscuits while the melted chocolate cooled.  I have also used my tried and trusted methods rather than those given in the original recipe such as rolling out between two sheets of clingfilm rather than a floured board.  The mallow filling was divine – I love this photo of it looking all glossy and inviting:

My chocolate shell was too thick (I panicked and did two coats of chocolate), meaning they needed a period of acclimatising to room temperature before you could bite into them, but seriously – when can thick chocolate ever be considered a serious problem?  Next time I would stick to one coat, and use milk rather than dark chocolate.  The biscuit base was good but mine came out a little thick – so I’ll roll them thinner next time.

Am I glad I made them?  Yes.  Are they deliciously sticky and messy to eat?  Yes.  Do I still love teacakes?  Yes.  Have Tunnocks lost out on my business?  Er, no....these are by no means a quick bake!

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

50g wholemeal flour
50g plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
25g caster sugar
25g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon milk – you might need more, I used 2 ½ tablespoons

For the chocolate:

400g dark chocolate – I used 300g dark, 100g milk

For the filling:

3 egg whites
150g caster sugar
30g golden caster sugar
½ vanilla pod – seeds only

Method

Start by making the biscuits: place the flours, baking powder, sugar and butter into the mixer and mix until you have fine breadcrumbs.  You could also do this in the processor, or by hand with the rubbing in method.

Stir in the milk and bring together to make a ball.

Roll out between two sheets of clingfilm until it is about 0.5cm thick.

Cut out biscuits using a 6-7cm round cutter.  I got more than the six biscuits required and kept them for spares....i.e. I ate them.

Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minute.  This will limit them spreading as they bake.

Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan oven 150°/325°F/Gas mark 3.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes or until the biscuits are hard.  Mine took much longer – nearer to 20 minutes.

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Now melt the chocolate: melt 300g of the chocolate (you’ll use the rest later).  Melt in a bowl over a pan of simmering water – the bottom of the bowl must not touch the water.

When melted, take off the heat and leave to cool and firm a little.  If you try to line the mould with runny chocolate it will all pool in the bottom of the mould.

Spoon a tablespoon of melted chocolate into each half sphere silicone mould.  Use the curved back of the spoon to direct the chocolate so that you have a thin, even covering.  Use more chocolate if needed.

Set aside to set.  If you live in a cool house and can let them set in the air, you will retain the shine of the chocolate.  My flat is so hot that it would never set so I had to put them in the fridge.  You lose the shine but needs must.

Dip the cooled biscuits in the remaining melted chocolate.  They need to be completely covered.

Put to one side to set (or the fridge).

Now make the filling: place all the ingredients in a bowl and place over a pan of simmering water – the bottom of the bowl must not touch the water.

Whisk – with an electric hand whisk (unless you are a masochist!) – for about 8 minutes until it is silky smooth and doubled in volume.  Think whipped cream – that’s what you’re aiming for.

Spoon into a piping bag – no need for a nozzle; you pipe the filling to ensure there are no gaps.

Melt the remaining 100g of chocolate and spoon into another piping bag then seal the end. 

Leave to cool and firm up a bit.

Pipe the mallow into the chocolate moulds about 2/3 to ¾ full. (NB. I barely used half the mallow – don’t know why the recipe says to make so much.  Other bloggers have made the same comment so I don’t think it’s just me)

Snip the end off the chocolate piping bag and pipe some chocolate onto the mallow and the rim of the mould.

Place a biscuit on top and smooth the chocolate with a knife so it’s all sealed.

Repeat with the other moulds.

Leave to set (ideally not in the fridge but it’s not a disaster if you must).

Carefully, turn the teacakes out of the moulds.  Try not to touch the chocolate dome as you’ll leave fingerprints!

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.

Apple cake

I found this exact recipe in two different cook books, only one called it “Irish Apple Cake” and the other called it “Yorkshire Apple Cake”. I have no idea which is correct so have simply called it Apple cake.


Apple works so well in cake – the acidity and texture adds a depth of flavour and interest to the sweet batter. This recipe uses cooking (rather than eating) apples and provides a beautifully balanced sweet/tart contrast.

I served this cake at tea time with some Chantilly cream but it would be delicious for dessert served warm with custard or ice cream.



This is one of those satisfying yet simple rustic cakes; the sort of cake you’d expect to see cooling in a farmhouse kitchen. I love all cake but this type is my favourite particularly the cinnamon sugar crunchy topping! This photo shows the topping off at its best:


Ingredients:
For the cake:
225g cooking apples (I used Bramleys), peeled, cored and chopped to 1cm cubes
225g plain flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
115g unsalted butter, diced
115g golden caster sugar
1 egg
2-3 tablespoons of milk

For the crunchy topping:
50g golden caster sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

How to make:

- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Line a 20cm round springform cake tin.
- Rub the butter into the flour and baking powder until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the sugar.
- Chop the apples (don’t do this too far in advance or they will turn brown, if you want to do it in advance then cover with some lemon juice to stop discolouration) and add to the bowl along with the egg.
- Mix thoroughly and add milk, as required, to achieve a dropping consistency.
- Spoon the mix into the cake tin. It will be lumpy because of the apple. Level in the pan.
- Now make the topping: Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly. Mine took 50 minutes.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack and leaving to cool completely.
- Serve either at room temperature with some whipped cream, or warm with custard or ice cream.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.

Apple Custard Teacake

Sometimes there are too many difficult decisions to make in life, for example should you have cream, custard or maybe even ice cream with your cake? I like baked goods that provide answers, and this is such a cake. There is no decision to be made as you don’t serve it with anything – because the custard is already in it. Genius!

I confess to having a bit of a love affair with apple cakes; sponge and apple is such a heavenly combination. This cake is a substantial country cake and everyone who tries it loves it. Little airy-fairy cakes are all well and good but sometimes you want to have a slice of cake and really know you’ve eaten something.

The slightly unusual ingredient in the sponge part of the cake is custard powder and it adds a robustness to the mix – this isn’t an airy batter, this is a solid dense cake mix. It has to be to support the weight of the custard and the apples.


There is another thing I love about making this cake: when you put the clingfilm over the custard to stop a skin forming as it cools you get an incredible touch sensation – it’s the most amazingly silky surface that’s impossible to resist stroking! Hard to put into words but when you get to that point in the recipe you will realise exactly what I mean!

Ingredients:
For the custard:
2 tablespoons custard powder
55g caster sugar
250ml milk (whole or semi skimmed)
20g unsalted butter
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

For the cake:
200g unsalted butter, softened
110g caster sugar
2 eggs
185g self raising flour
40g custard powder
2-3 apples, depending on size (I used three small Gala), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

For the cake topping:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Additional caster sugar to sprinkle on the baked cake. I recommend this as it adds to the look

How to make:

- Start by making the custard: combine the custard powder and sugar in a saucepan then, over a medium heat, add the milk.
- Stir all the time until the custard thickens slightly. Do not leave the pan or stop stirring because if the custard thickens and you’re not there you’ll end up with something like glue!
- As soon as the custard thickens take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
- Press clingfilm on to the top of the custard to stop a skin forming and try to resist wasting about 10 mins stroking the surface of the newly-covered custard! Leave to cool.
- Preheat oven to 190°C/fan oven 170°C/375°F/ Gas mark 5 and line a 22cm round springform tin with greaseproof paper.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Don’t skimp on this stage as I think it is the foundation of success. Take a tiny piece of the mix and place on your tongue. Press it to the roof of your mouth – if it’s gritty the mix needs more beating. When it’s smooth you can move to the next stage.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time. The mix shouldn’t curdle but don’t worry if it does as it will correct itself when you add the flour.
- Stir in the flour and custard powder.
- Building the cake in the tin requires care – this isn’t a cake where you simply dump the mix in the tin and put in the over. You’ll need a knife and spatula and a light touch!
- Spoon half the cake mix into the cake tin and level it. It is a thick batter and you will worry that you don’t have enough mix. You do. You just have to be patient and spread it carefully.
- Remove the clingfilm and spoon the custard onto the cake mix in the tin. Be careful not to spread the custard to the edge as you want the top and bottom layers of cake mix to meet and enclose the custard.
- Now the bit that requires patience and care. Spread the remaining cake mix on top of the custard ensuring that as you spread it you don’t disturb the custard. Try to skim the surface with your knife so that you only move the mix. It isn’t easy but if you’re careful you’ll manage. My hint is to spoon the mix around the edge and draw it towards the centre – that way you guarantee the custard will be cased in the cake.
- Peel, core and slice the apples. I cut the apple into quarters, and then each quarter into four i.e. an apple yields 16 slices.
- Arrange the apple slices on top of the cake.
- Brush the apples with the melted butter and then sprinkle on the sugar and cinnamon.
- Bake in the oven for approx 1 hour until a skewer comes out clean. Mine took exactly one hour.
- While the cake cools in the tin, sprinkle additional caster sugar on top.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.