MALTESERS CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

• 125g butter, chopped
• 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
• 125ml (1/2 cup) water, hot
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee
• 60ml (1/4 cup) chocolate liqueur, or coffee liqueur
• 200g (1 cup) brown sugar, firmly packed
• 100g (2/3 cup) plain flour
• 40g (1/4 cup) self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 egg
• Maltesers, to decorate

MALTESERS FROSTING

• 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 500g icing sugar mixture
• 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
• 100g Maltesers, finely crushed

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
• 125ml (1/2 cup) pouring cream

EQUIPMENT

• You will need a twelve-hole 125ml (1/2 cup) muffin pan.

How to Make

1.Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan forced, then line twelve-hole 125ml (1⁄2 cup) muffin pans with paper cases.

2.Combine butter, chocolate, water, coffee and liqueur in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until melted. Remove from heat. Add sugar. Stir to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

3.Add flours and cocoa. Use a balloon whisk to stir to combine. Add egg and stir to combine. Divide among prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

4.For the frosting, use electric beaters to beat the butter in a bowl until very pale. Gradually add the icing sugar and milk, in alternating batches, whisking well between each batch. Add the crushed Maltesers and beat until well combined.

5.For the ganache, combine the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring with a metal spoon, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

6.Use a piping bag with a 1.5cm plain nozzle to pipe frosting rosettes on the cupcakes. Drizzle warm ganache over the cupcakes and decorate with Maltesers enjoy.