Sticky Toffee Cupcakes with Chocolate Topping

method

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a food processor, blitz the sultanas, apricots, dates, baking powder and a little of the flour (just enough to keep the fruit from sticking to the blades). If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop them very finely. Put this mixture into a bowl with the brown sugar, the syrup, the egg and the melted butter and stir together. Then add the very hot water and the remaining flour and mix well with a whisk. Divide the mixture between 12 foil cupcake cups (I like to double up the cups to give the mixture a bit more hold) and place on a baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt all the chocolate topping ingredients in a saucepan and bubble for a while until slightly darkened in color. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool until it thickens. Then put a blob on top of each cupcake.

serves: 12

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sultanas or golden raisins
• 1oz dried apricots
• 1oz dates
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot water

FOR THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1Voz bittersweet chocolate
• 5 tablespoons heavy cream