Islands Chocolate Teacakes Recipe
These teacakes are fun to make, and easy too, the Fortnum’s version of the classic Scottish teacake. Islands is a family-run company that grows, harvests and produces its own chocolate in the Grenadines. Use whatever jam you love most, and add a little cocoa powder to the pastry too. You’ll need a thermometer and an icing bag.
The teacakes will keep in the fridge for up to a week, in a sealed container, in single layers. If you have any marshmallow left over, lightly grease a sheet of cling film, then dust with a mix of icing sugar and cornflour. Pipe or spread the mallow mix on to the sugar/cornflour mix and allow to air-dry for 1 hour.
What you'll need
SERVES 4
225g unsalted butter, chilled 75g icing sugar, sifted.
2 egg yolks.
20ml cold water.
280g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting.
50g raspberry jam.
200g 70% chocolate, broken into pieces/chopped, for dipping freeze-dried.
raspberries to decorate.
2 egg whites.
12g gelatine (7 leaves of fine leaf gelatine).
2 drops of natural raspberry essence.
250g caster sugar.
80ml water.
20g liquid glucose.
What to do
1. Remove the butter from the fridge and bash it with a rolling pin to get an even softness. Place it in the bowl of a stand mixer and slowly add the icing sugar, using the paddle attachment. Beat in the egg yolks and half the water and mix. Always scrape down the bowl after each process.
2. Mix in the flour slowly, then the rest of the water. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead slowly for 2 minutes on a cool, lightly floured work surface.
3. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the fridge, preferably overnight or for at least 2 hours. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before you need to roll it.
4. Roll the dough out on a floured work surface to about 3mm thick, then, using a 6cm plain round cutter, cut out about 30 discs. Place them on a lined baking tray and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Bake the discs in an oven heated to 170°C/150°C fan/Gas Mark 3 for about 9–10 minutes, until golden brown, then place on a wire rack.
5. Make sure all elements for the marshmallow are ready. Assemble a piping bag with a large nozzle and set aside. Making sure the bowl is clean, place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Soften the gelatine in iced water.
6. Place a pan with a little water and the raspberry essence over a low heat to warm. Add the gelatine and stir until it has melted.
7. Meanwhile, place the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the glucose. Using a digital thermometer, carefully monitor the boiling sugar. When it gets to about 120°C (this will happen quickly), take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk the sugar into the egg whites. Keep whisking after you’ve poured in all the sugar, then gently pour in the melted gelatine mixture. Keep whisking until it cools slightly. Place in the piping bag with a large nozzle.
8. To assemble, place a good blob of raspberry jam in the middle of each pastry disc, then pipe over it with the marshmallow, making a lovely even dome shape – it will hold well, so try to pipe close to the edge of the biscuit. Leave to dry for a couple of hours.
9. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Dip each teacake into the melted chocolate so that the marshmallow is covered. Sprinkle freeze-dried raspberries for decoration if desired. Leave to set completely before serving.
Inspiration
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