Speculoos Biscuits
125g soft butter
100g soft brown sugar
125ml golden syrup
1 egg yolk
375g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mixed spice
Set oven to 180oc and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Beat the butter, sugar and syrup until pale and fluffy. Add the yolk to combine. Mix the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and spice together and mix with the butter mixture to a smooth dough.
Turn onto a floured surface and roll out thinly. Cut into stars and place on the trays. Bake for about 12 minutes in the oven – swap the trays over half way to ensure even cooking.
Chocolate ginger mousse
25g crystallised ginger, finely chopped
200ml whipping cream
1 tablespoon maple syrup
200g chopped dark chocolate
200ml double cream whipped
Simmer the whipping cream with the ginger and maple syrup. Add the chocolate to the hot cream and stir until melted. Cool for 10 minutes. Fold in the whipped double cream.
Marshmallow
225g castor sugar
1 dessertspoon liquid glucose
100ml water
5 sheets gelatine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
Icing sugar and cornflour mixed for dusting
Soak the gelatine in cold water.
Place sugar, glucose and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Cook until it reaches 127oc on a thermometer or when a small amount of it placed in cold water forms a pliable ball. Whisk the egg white to stiff peaks and gently trickle the hot syrup mixture in, whisking as you go. Squeeze the water from the gelatine and add to the mixture half way between adding syrup. Add vanilla and continue to whisk for 5 minutes after all the syrup has been added.
Line a square dish with parchment paper and dust the bottom liberally with cornflour and icing sugar. Spoon in marshmallow and smooth off the top. Top with more cornflour and icing sugar and chill to set. Cut into squares. Dust off the icing sugar and grill or blowtorch to toast.
Spoon or pipe chocolate mousse onto the biscuits and top with some flamed mallow.
