Makes 15 sweetie pies
Ingredients
For the Biscuit
- 500g butter
- 150g icing sugar
- 650g flour
- 80g corn flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
For the Marshmallow
- 80g egg whites
- 160g sugar
- 2 gelatine leaves
- 50g glucose
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Caramel Sauce
- 1 tin of condensed milk
- 70ml cream
For the Garnish
- 300-400g dark chocolate
- 70g whole hazelnuts
- 50 g popping candy, optional
Method
For the Biscuit
- Cream the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract.
- Add the salt, corn flour and flour to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until it just comes together.
- Roll out the dough between baking paper sheets and freeze it until solid.
- Using a 3-4 cm cookie cutter, cut out biscuit rounds and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
For the Marshmallow
- Bloom the gelatine leaves in room temperature water.
- Add the sugar and glucose to a small saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of water.
- Cook the syrup over low heat until it has dissolved, then cook it over medium heat until the sugar syrup reaches 116°C.
- Place the egg whites into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk. When the sugar reaches 110°C, start to whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- When the sugar has reached 116°C, quickly add the bloomed gelatine, then carefully pour the sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl with the mixer going.
- Add the vanilla extract.
- Whip the marshmallow until it has cooled slightly, about 4-5 minutes.
- Put the marshmallow into a piping bag.
For the Caramel Sauce
- Cook the condensed milk in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking to prevent burning and sticking, and to achieve an even caramel.
- When the condensed milk has reached a golden caramel colour, add the cream and whisk to form a sauce.
- Let it cool, then put into a piping bag.
For the Garnish
- Roast the hazelnuts in a 160°C oven for 10 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over a low heat, stirring constantly.
To Assemble
- Place the biscuit rounds onto a grid or a cooling rack with a tray underneath.
- Pipe a small amount of caramel into the centre of each biscuit and place a roasted hazelnut on top of the caramel.
- Pipe the marshmallow over the caramel and to the edge of the biscuit, going slightly over the edge.
- If you are using popping candy, sprinkle the candy over the marshmallow.
- Using a ladle, coat the marshmallow with chocolate by ladling some chocolate over the marshmallow and allowing it to cover the sides.
- Place the sweetie pies in the fridge to set the chocolate. Remove the sweetie pies from the grid and enjoy.
Recipe Courtesy of Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen of Michelin-starred Restaurant JAN in Nice.