Chocolate Salted Caramel Fondant Fancies
Give a decadent twist to a classic teatime favourite with these Chocolate Salted Caramel Fondant Fancies! Be sure to read the recipe notes before you start for the best results.
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Ingredients
For the chocolate sponge:
- 180 grams Unsalted butter or margarine room temperature
- 180 grams White caster sugar
- 3 medium Eggs room temperature
- 150 grams Self-raising flour
- 30 grams Cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 2 tablespoon Milk
For the buttercream and caramel filling:
- 150 grams Unsalted butter softened
- 250 grams Icing sugar
- 50 grams Cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons Milk
- 2 tablespoons Boiling water
- 9 teaspoon Salted caramel sauce shop-bought or homemade
For the chocolate ganache glaze:
- 200 grams Milk chocolate I used Menier Swiss Milk Chocolate
- 200 grams Dark chocolate I used Menier 70% Dark Chocolate
- 440 millilitres Double cream
- 40 grams Unsalted butter very soft and cut into chunks
To Finish:
- 50 grams Milk chocolate melted for drizzling on top
Instructions
Start by making the chocolate sponge:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (180°C conventional). Grease and line an 8-inch square tin.
- Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.180 grams Unsalted butter or margarine, 180 grams White caster sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well.3 medium Eggs
- Stir the flour, cocoa and baking powder together. Then add to the mixture with the milk and fold gently until combined.150 grams Self-raising flour, 30 grams Cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon Baking powder, 2 tablespoon Milk
- Spread into the tin and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift out and place in the freezer for 45 minutes. Why? This firms up the sponge, making it easier to trim and slice into neat squares without crumbs.
Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate buttercream:
- Beat the butter until pale and fluffy. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, milk and boiling water. Beat until smooth and creamy.150 grams Unsalted butter, 250 grams Icing sugar, 50 grams Cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons Milk, 2 tablespoons Boiling water
Slice, fill and prep the cakes:
- Trim 1 inch off each side of the chilled sponge so you have perfectly straight edges.
- Cut the remaining sponge into 9 equal squares (they should measure 2-inches each).
- Use a small knife to cut out a little well in the middle of each square. Fill each hole with 1 teaspoon of salted caramel. Trim the cake that you removed to make a little disc and pop these back in the holes to seal in the caramel.9 teaspoon Salted caramel sauce
- Apply a crumb coat of buttercream to the top and sides of the cakes. Don't worry if things get messy, the coating is just to seal in any stray crumbs to create a smooth base for the ganache coating. If the cakes are too crumbly, pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up, then try again.
- Spoon the remaining buttercream into a piping bag and snip off the end to make a 1cm hole. Pipe a blob of buttercream on top of each cake.
- Freeze the cakes again for 30 minutes — this helps the ganache set neatly later.
Meanwhile make the ganache glaze:
- Chop both chocolates very finely and place in a heatproof bowl.200 grams Milk chocolate, 200 grams Dark chocolate
- Heat the cream in a saucepan until steaming and piping hot (don't let it boil), then pour over the chocolate.440 millilitres Double cream
- Cover the bowl with a plate and leave to sit for 1 minutes, then stir slowly until smooth and glossy.
- Add the butter and stir gently until incorporated. If there are still lumps of unmelted butter or chocolate, pop the bowl in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir again.40 grams Unsalted butter
- Pour the ganache into a jug and let it cool for 15 minutes or so. It should be pourable but not hot.
Glaze the fondant fancies in ganache
- Place the chilled cakes on a wire rack set over a tray or large baking tray lined with baking paper (to catch any drips).
- Working one cake at a time, pour the ganache generously over each cake, letting it drip down the sides. You can use a palette knife to make sure the sides are fully coated, but work quickly before the ganache sets.You will have a lot of leftover ganache after the pour, so scoop it into a plastic container or sandwich bag and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Leave to set at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then use a palette knife or flat cake lifter to transfer the cakes onto a serving board.
Add the finishing touch
- Drizzle or pipe the melted milk chocolate for decoration.50 grams Milk chocolate
- Leave to set completely before serving. Enjoy!