Marmalade Tea Cakes

 

This is my technical challenge of the weekend. They are chocolate marshmallow tea cakes featuring a shortbread biscuit base, marmalade and coated in dark chocolate. This is the second time I have ever made marshmallow tea cakes and I seem to have had the same issue both times with my marshmallow, that the gelatine has not all dissolved in the egg white mixture. I'm not sure if, on this occasion, the egg mixture did not get hot enough due to my impatience and starting to whisk before the pan of water was boiling, so that would be my tip to try. Regardless of the gelatine issue, the marshmallow mixture was still stiff enough to hold it's shape and tastes moreish. It was also declared that I won the technical challenge with this bake, although I'm not sure the lack of competition makes it the most monumental win ever! 

Recipe - Makes 6 

For the biscuit base: 

• 90g plain flour
• 65g butter
• 30g caster sugar
• 1/2 tbsp milk

For the chocolate coating: 

• 120g dark chocolate 

For the marshmallow filling:

• 3 egg whites
• 3 gelatine leaves
• 165g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp golden syrup 
• 2 tbsp marmalade 

Start by making the biscuits. Put the sugar and margarine in a bowl and cream until softened. Add the flour and milk and bring into a ball, then wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out between two sheets of clingfilm to 5mm thick. Use a lightly floured 7cm cutter to cut out rounds from the dough and place on a lined baking tray. Bake at 180C for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Leave on the tray to cool for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool. 

Break up the chocolate and place two thirds of it into a heat proof bowl (you will need the rest later). Place over a pan of simmering water and melt, stirring gently. Remove from the heat and use the back of a spoon to spread a thin layer into the six clean and dry dome moulds. Leave to set. Spread the rest of the melted chocolate on the base of the biscuits and place upside down on a wire rack until set. 

Make the marshmallow by putting the egg white, sugar and golden syrup in a clean bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until stiff. Meanwhile, put the gelatine in a bowl of cold water and leave for 5 minutes to soak. Take the egg white off the heat, squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine, and add to the egg white, whisking to incorporate. Continue to whisk the marshmallow mixture until cooled to room temperature. Transfer it into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle and pipe the marshmallow into the chocolate moulds, leaving a small hole in the centre when you reach the top. Add a spoonful of marmalade into the hole and press on the biscuit with the chocolate side facing outwards. 

Put the rest of the chocolate in a heat proof bowl and melt over a low heat. Transfer into a piping bag fitted with an icing nozzle and pipe the chocolate round the edge of the biscuit to seal it to the chocolate top and enclose the marshmallow. Leave to set then gently ease the tea cakes from the mould and invert onto a plate to serve.