Wednesday 2 July 2008

millionaire's cupcakes!

ok, so i'm a BIG fan of millionaire's shortbread. they sell it in the shops here and it's basically a biscuit/shortbread base, layer of toffee, layer of chocolate. it is so good! i could sit and eat square after square with no thought of expanding waistline because the sheer pleasure in the eating eradicates any other negative thoughts.

so i thought i'd like to try and recreate it in cupcake form hence millionaire's cupcakes! i figured a thin layer of biscuit base, then a vanilla cupcake on top with more bits of biscuit in it, then some homemade toffee popped into the middle of the cupcake and finally a nice topping of melted chocolate! perfect!
for the biscuits i used a mixture of ginger snaps and oatmeal biscuits, because i wanted the hint of gingery taste and also the chewy consistency of the oatmeal. i pressed the ground up biscuits mixed with melted butter into the bottom of each cupcake. the batter was pretty straight forward but i liked the addition of some more ground up biscuits in there. while these were baking in the oven, i started on the toffee.

hmmm, the toffee...there was a moment when i thought it was all going to end in disaster. i decided on making the toffee myself this time, rather than using pre-bought stuff. i figured that since i use toffee quite a lot i might as well figure out how to make it. well, when i loaded everything into the saucepan and put it on the heat, everything started bubbling up and getting really hot and splashing everywhere. i got a few burns courtesy of said toffee but it was worth it in the end because after it seeming to stay thin and runny for ages, it finally began to thicken up. after leaving it to cool it was nice and thick and the perfect consistency. phew!

everything came together nicely. once the cupcakes had cooled, using the cone method, i made some space in each cupcake and filled it with the thick toffee. replaced the lid and topped it with the melted chocolate and a marshmallow. i was hoping the chocolate would set...but strangely it didn't...mind you, i haven't checked them in awhile so maybe it has by now.

then came the taste-test...obviously these cupcakes had a lot to live up to as i have had more than my fair share of millionaire's shortbread and might be somewhat of a connoisseur on the delight! but yes, these lovely little creations completely passed the test. the biscuit base was lovely and moist and not hard and crunchy. the mild gingery taste was there and the oatmeal provided a little more texture which was good. the cupcake was moist and the toffee simply lovely - thick and creamy. the chocolate topping (although not at this point set) was perfect. all in all a very pleasing re-creation of a favourite treat.


Recipe

Base
8 oatmeal biscuits, ground up
8 ginger snaps, ground up
1/4 c. melted butter

mix the butter and biscuits together and then put one heaped tablespoon into each cupcake case. press down to form a thin base.

Cupcake
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 c. plain flour
1 t. baking powder
1/3 c. ground biscuits
1/8 t. salt
2/3 c. milk
1 t. vanilla extract

mix together flour, baking powder, salt and ground biscuits. set aside.
beat butter in a mixer until soft. add sugar and beat until fluffy.
add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
add flour mix alternately with milk and vanilla extract mix in three additions, finishing with the flour mix.
pop into cupcake cases and bake for 25 minutes.
let cool on a wire rack.

Toffee filling
175g butter
175g caster sugar
1 can condensed milk
4 T. golden syrup

put the ingredients in a saucepan and heat over a low heat until butter melts. turn up the heat and bubble mix for 5-8 minutes until it has turned a golden brown and consistency is thick and fudge-like. leave to cool.

Topping
bar of plain chocolate, melted

Assembly
cut a cone in the top of each cupcake and remove some extra cake. fill with toffee mix and replace lid of cupcake. top with melted chocolate and marshmallow.
devour shamelessly!

*update*
the chocolate did set and i managed to snag a few pics of one of the last remaining cupcakes....

i've also decided to enter this for a blog event i found...Original Recipes : Culinarty Round-Up as this is my very own translation of a popular recipe to cupcake form!

23 comments:

Faery said...

Sinead I was on a diet, this is one of my favorite desserts...this version makes it a lot more yummy...did I mention that I WAS on a diet...I look like a chubby cheek fairy, won´t be able to fly hi hi hi ;D
The cupcakes look gorgeous, I am in awe, you can turn everything into a cupcake

Unknown said...

haha faery - i aim to please and expand the waistline...after all that can only be the true measure of my skill!!!!

Anonymous said...

the guinea pigs in bd give the millionaire cupcakes 10/10 did the fella not tell wednesday is healty day for us and i'm delighted you's enjoyed the movie friday night i told zahari it was brill

Unknown said...

thank you guinea pigs! sorry i forgot it was healthy day on wednesday...i could have made you some boring ol' wholewheat banana cupcakes but they wouldn't have tasted a million dollars and i might not have gotten 10/10!!!!

MsC said...

I *love* millionaire shortbread, and these look to DIE for!! Well done!

Unknown said...

hi MsC, millionaire's shortbread is the BEST! i don't think i've ever come across anyone who doesn't like it and it was so great to re-capture the taste in a cupcake form!

Rachel@fairycakeheaven said...

Oh. My. God.

these look divine, love love love millionaires shortbread and the Avoca one especially, will definitely be trying these!

Unknown said...

hi rachel...i recently tried the thorntons ones...they were selling half price at Superquinn and they were to die for!

The Caked Crusader said...

Great idea - and lovely execution!
I could eat one of these right now with my tea. Or maybe two.....

Charlotte said...

wow yumarama!

Unknown said...

hi caked crusader...they are PERFECT with tea...coffee...anything!

thanks charley!

Lore said...

My taste buds are going wild just looking at the photo....I'm sure this is a dessert fit for a queen :)
Thanks for participating!

Unknown said...

my birthday tomorrow and i'd like to have one of these, please :) looks sinfully delicious, Sinead!

Unknown said...

hi lore - thanks...a great food event and it was nice to be able to enter this creation for it!

hey arfi...happy birthday for tomorrow :) have a fantastic day hopefully you can step out of the kitchen and someone will bake something for you!

Anonymous said...

Wow! These look absolutely amazing! I am definitely going to make these for my husband's birthday cake. He is the biggest fan of millionaires shortcake (and after these I might mean biggest in every way!).

Unknown said...

hi there anonymous! hope that they taste as great for you and hubby as they did when i made them! good luck!

Mindy Moo said...

Ooooooooooh I can see that I will have to make these!

Unknown said...

hi minko, if u love millionaire's shortbread then you will definitely have to make these...deliciously divine :) thanks for hosting a great event!

Dragon said...

Wow! I want one of these right now. They look so delicious. Great job!

Ivy said...

I made my first cupcakes yesterday. Wish I had seen yours before. They sound delicious. Found you from Adoptic.

Unknown said...

hi dragon, try make them! they are worth every second spent in the kitchen!

hi ivy, congrats on your first batch of cupcakes...it just gets better and better!

Maria♥ said...

WOW oh WOW these have to be the best cupcakes I've seen in a long time!! I am glad my Millionaire squares inspired you ;o) I have to make these now.

Maria
x

Unknown said...

hi maria, i think these are my favs to date! millionaire's squares are just very inspiring food!