For many years I have read the dessert menu before deciding on entrée, main or main, dessert; a true dessert lover always does that! 

And with shows such as MasterChef featuring some of our country’s best pastry chefs, the excitement of the dessert table is immensely enjoyable for me. 

Last article I featured a new revised recipe of macarons. This week’s article looks at the other two facets of the three part dessert mini-series – chocolate silk layering and decadent bases. 

These two sections of our dessert cup complement the little macarons placed on top that you have – hopefully – made and are keeping aside. 

No packet mixes, just pure, good quality ingredients and techniques that you won’t find too hard to master. 

My chocolate silk layer is very rich, but smooth as silk as its name suggests and keeps you coming back for more. 

The base of this little masterpiece gives a crunch to the palate and a change to texture in your mouth to finish. I am sure you will enjoy this one. 

I have worked hard to create a home cook friendly version of this little sweet treat!  

The recipe makes 12 to 15 mini dessert serves.

White chocolate silk and caramel crème de la crème

Ingredients (crunch comb base)

100g chopped honeycomb

100g melted butter

200g crushed butternut snaps.

Method

Process the biscuits in a food processor for 30 seconds or until they resemble coarse crumbs. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the biscuit mix, chopped honeycomb pieces and melted butter, stir through. 

Once combined add two small spoonfuls to the bottom of your desired cups/shot glass. For a little fun add some popping candy rocks to the crumb mix! Now the next layers..

Ingredients (white chocolate silk)

200g good quality Belgian white chocolate

30g unsalted butter

½ cup cream

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 cup cream, whipped

Method

Combine the chocolate, butter and cream together in a heavy-based pan and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. 

Remove from the heat, whisk in the egg yolks and transfer to a bowl. Cool slightly. 

Using a metal spoon, fold in the whipped cream, pour into the little cups/glasses, set aside.

Caramel crème de la crème – for this section we are going to cheat to make it quicker for you at home! 

Use a can of Nestle Caramel Top N Fill (this is at the supermarket and is ready to go instead of boiling a condensed milk can for hours). I would normally make my caramel the same way as old-fashioned toffees, and add cream when it changes colour, then continue to reduce until thick. 

It is very tricky, though, and burns easily! 

So we are going to combine one cup of whipped cream (no added sugar) to one can of caramel instead. Gently fold it together. 

Once combined, add two small spoonfuls to your cup/glass. 

Depending on the size of your cup/glass you can repeat the layering of chocolate silk and caramel to the top. 

Crumble spare honeycomb on the top and finish with a salted caramel or white chocolate and vanilla macaron.

Enjoy the journey and until next time, happy cooking! Cheers, Mynette.