Spelt Cookie Cups with Malteser Ganache
Making these awesome spelt cookie cups with Malteser ganache was so much fun. Planning and creating new recipes can be a double edged sword. When things go horribly wrong (which is more often than I would like to admit), there’s such a sense of disappointment and even defeat. When things go beautifully, though? Well, without sounding too over the top, it creates a buzz that is indescribable.
These spelt cookies cups with Malteser ganache fell into the second category. Thank goodness. Every step of the creation was smooth and effortless. I’ve made cookie cups many times, using the same base recipe, so I had an inkling they would be great. The cookie cups are buttery and light, yet sturdy enough to be filled. Last time, I made these:
The base cookie recipe is one I use time and time again, not only for cookie cups. It is totally fool-proof. I’ve also used the recipe to make these vanilla shortbread cookies. So versatile and delicious.
This time around, I wasn’t sure whether I was going to make a chocolate cookie cup or a blueberry cheesecake version. My heart was yearning to make the latter, but I knew that if I did, I would be forced to eat all six of them as my 15 year old would not touch them with a barge-pole. I decided to use the idea of blueberries and cheesecake with puff pastry instead, so watch this space.
I was originally going to use Nutella to fill the cookie cups, but went with ganache. The ganache is half milk and dark chocolate and has crushed Maltesers mixed in. The ganache was so good that I had to stop myself from eating it all straight from the bowl.
I love ganache – it is so easy to make and very adaptable. Varying the ratio of chocolate and cream will give you runny ganache (to top a cake, for example) through to a thick ganache to make truffles. If you are unsure what ratios you need, or ways to use ganache, Baker Bettie has a wonderful, easy to understand tutorial.
When everything was assembled, just one bite had me feeling like I was in sweet heaven. So. Bloody. Divine. The afore-mentioned 15 year old has just eaten one and the moans and groans of delight coming from him are testament to just how good they are. In his own words: the buttery cookies and the Malteser ganache (which is not too sweet) match each other perfectly. Yep, that’s my boy. And he’s not wrong.
These spelt cookie cups with Malteser ganache are monster cookies, so you might want to cut them in half and share. Then again, you might not.
Spelt Cookies Cups with Malteser Ganache
Ingredients
Cookie cups:
- 70g (½ cup) icing sugar
- 110g (½ cup) butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150g (¾ cup + 3 tbsp) spelt flour - see note 1
Ganache:
- 25g (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) milk chocolate
- 25g (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) dark chocolate
- 50ml (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) cream
- 10 Maltesers (extra for decorating) - see note 2
Instructions
Cookies:
- Pre-heat the oven to 175ºC (350ºF) and grease a muffin tin (6 holes).
- Beat the icing sugar and butter together for several minutes until light and fluffy (I used my food processor).
- Add the vanilla extract and beat quickly again. Add the flour and continue to work until the mixture pulls together as a dough.
- Divide the dough into six, equal sized, pieces and then with your hands, roll them into balls. Place them in the prepared muffin tin. Push down a little, but not too much (they will spread to fill the holes).
- Bake for 12 minutes, until the tops are just starting to turn a little brown. The cookies will be very pale, but that's perfect.
- As soon as they come out of the oven, find something to make the holes in the cookies. I use a measuring spoon, but you could use a small glass, or anything else that is an appropriate size.
- Press down in the middle of the cookies (making sure you don't go all the way to the bottom) and give whatever you are using a little wiggle to increase the size of the hole.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before attempting to take them out of the muffin tin. If you do it too soon, they will crumble.
Ganache:
- Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl.
- Heat the cream (either in the microwave or in a pan) and pour over the chocolate. If some of the chocolate is poking out, just push it under the cream. Leave for five minutes.
- Gently and slowly whisk the chocolate and cream mixture together, until you are left with a glossy, runny ganache.
- Crush the Maltesers into crumbs (I used a blender) and stir into the chocolate ganache.
- Carefully spoon the ganache into the cookie cups. The ganache will be thicker by this point, so you can create a little mound. Finish off with a Malteser on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can do a straight swap with regular flour, if you prefer.
- If you are in the US and Maltesers are not available where you are, you can substitute with Whoppers.