It’s officially October or in other words….. Halloween season! I know Halloween isn’t for a few more weeks but I thought I would get in early with a few Halloween inspired baking goodies. To start off the season, I bring you Witches Hat Mallow Puffs. A buttery shortbread biscuit base, topped with homemade marshmallow creme that is then smothered in melted chocolate!
Mallow Puff’s are a classic bought biscuit here in New Zealand. If you don’t know what a Mallow Puff is they are a crispy based, chocolate covered marshmallow biscuit. Perhaps they are called something else in other countries? Whether you have them where you are or not it doesn’t matter because you can now make your own at home. Not only that but you can make them in the shape of these cute witches hats for a fun Halloween treat or to serve at a party.
These cookies look complicated but are surprisingly simple. Let’s break it down. The base of these cookies my easy shortbread recipe. The marshmallow top is a homemade marshmallow creme. This marshmallow doesn’t contain gelatin as we don’t want it to set completely and doesn’t require a candy thermometer. The texture is similar to that of an unbaked meringue. All you need to do is place sugar, glucose and water in a saucepan on a a high heat. When the mixture is boiling, leave it on the high heat for 5-7 minutes. While the sugar mixture is cooking, you need to beat the egg whites with a little white vinegar until soft peaks form. You then need to keep the beaters on low and pour a few tablespoons of the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites while continuously beating. This is a very important step as it ensures the egg whites cook but don’t scramble. Once that’s combined, pour in the rest of the sugar syrup and beat the eggs on high for at least 5 minutes. The mixture will almost triple in size, turn glossy and begin to cool and thicken. Add some vanilla and that’s it!
Once the marshmallow creme has cooled, place it in a piping bag and pipe into a tall tower. I found putting a little pressure when piping the base makes the marshmallow spread over the biscuit base and then pull the piping bag up while squeezing and it will turn into a cone like shape. Place these in the fridge for an hour before covering in chocolate.
This makes a lot so you could halve the recipe or keep the full recipe for a party or if you want to freeze some for later!
- 230 g Butter, Softened (1 Cup)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 Cup Icing Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Cornflour
- 1 and 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 Egg Whites
- 1/2 Tsp White Vinegar
- 1 Pinch Salt
- 1/2 Cup Glucose Syrup
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 2/3 Cup Sugar
- 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 450 g Chocolate, Melted
- 20 g Butter
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Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
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Cream the butter and icing sugar together until it is light and fluffy.
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Add in the vanilla extract, cornflour and flour and mix well.
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Roll out the dough to a 5mm thickness and using a small, round cookie cutter, cut out the cookies.
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Alternatively, roll the dough into a large sausage shape and chop 5mm thick slices from that.
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Prick each one with a fork and bake for 20-25 minutes. They should just begin to be getting a pale golden colour.
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Once they have cooled, melt 150g of milk or dark chocolate and dip one side of each cookie in the chocolate so there is a even layer on every cookie.
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Place these in the fridge to set.
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Place the sugar, water and glucose syrup in a saucepan on a high heat and bring to the boil.
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Boil the syrup for at least 5 minutes.
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While the sugar mixture is boiling, beat the egg whites, vinegar and salt together until soft peaks form.
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With the beaters still on, pour in a few tablespoons of the sugar mixture into the egg whites and beat until fully combined.
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Pour in the remaining sugar and beat on high for around 5-7 minutes.
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The mixture will be glossy, thick and nearly triple in size.
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Beat in the vanilla and set aside to cool.
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Using a piping bag, pipe the marshmallow onto each shortbread cookie, putting pressure at the base to make the marshmallow spread before pulling the piping bag up to create a cone like shape.
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Place these in the fridge for an hour.
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Melt the remaining chocolate and butter together and allow to come to room temperature.
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Place the cookies on a cooling rack with a baking tin underneath to catch any chocolate.
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Pour the chocolate over the marshmallow cookies.
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Scoop up the chocolate that falls into the baking tin and repeat until all the cookies are covered.
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Place them in the fridge to set.
These freeze well.
Halve the recipe for less.
Milk or dark chocolate works. You could even try white chocolate for something different!
Cooling the chocolate is important otherwise the hot chocolate would melt the marshmallow creme
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