Ingredients
Fluffy frosting
Method
White chocolate mud cakes
1.Preheat oven to moderately slow, 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Line two 12-hole (1/3-cup/80ml) muffin pans with silver cases.
2.Combine butter, chocolate, sugar and milk in a medium pan; with a wooden spoon, stir over low heat, without boiling, until smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl; cool 15 minutes.
3.Whisk in sifted flours, then essence and eggs. Pour mixture evenly into prepared pans. Bake, uncovered, about 35 minutes or until cooked when tested. Cool.
4.Spread cakes with fluffy frosting; decorate with the flowers and cachous. Arrange on cake stand, if desired.
Fluffy frosting
5.To make fluffy frosting, combine sugar and water in small saucepan; stir with wooden spoon over low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves.
6.Boil, uncovered, without stirring, for 35 minutes or until syrup is slightly thick. If a candy thermometer is available, the syrup will be ready at 114°C. Otherwise, when syrup is thick, remove pan from the heat, allow bubbles to subside, then test the syrup by dropping 1 teaspoon of it into a cup of cold water. The syrup should form a ball of soft sticky toffee when rolled between fingertips (syrup should not colour; if it does, discard it).
7.Just before the syrup reaches the correct temperature, beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until firm.
8.When the syrup is ready, allow bubbles to subside, then pour in a thin stream onto egg whites, with electric mixer operating on medium speed. If syrup is added too quickly to the egg whites, frosting will not thicken.
9.Continue to beat on high speed for about 5 minutes or until thick. Frosting should be barely warm by now.
