Ingredients
175 g unsalted butter, chopped
120 g white cooking chocolate, chopped
1 ¼ cups brown sugar, firmly packed
¾ cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ¼ cups plain flour
To decorate
375 g red fondant
¼ cup apricot jam, melted, strained
100 g white fondant icing
edible silver balls, to decorate
1 licorice strap, to decorate
Method
- Line a 12-hole muffin pan (1/3- cup capacity) with paper cases.
- Place butter, chocolate, sugar and milk in a large saucepan. Stir over a low heat until melted and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool to room temperature. Whisk in eggs and our. Divide mixture evenly among paper cases.
- Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 35 minutes, or until cooked when tested. Stand for 5 minutes in pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- To decorate, knead red fondant on a clean surface until smooth. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper until 4mm thick. Using a 7cm round cutter, cut out 12 shapes.
- Brush jam over each cupcake. Top with red fondant rounds. Smooth over tops.
- Knead white fondant as above. Roll out between baking paper until 3mm thick. Using a 3cm square cutter, cut out six squares. Cut out centres of each square using a 2cm square cutter. Using a 2 1⁄2cm `H’ and `O’ letter cutter, cut out six shapes of each.
- Place fondant letters on half the cupcakes, as pictured.
- Cut licorice into 7cm-long strips. Place on remaining cupcakes for belts. Top with fondant squares and decorate with cachous, as pictured.