I Think These Cows Got it in for Me!

Disney Classic # 44 - Home on the Range

Home on the Range starts the series of Disney films that I hadn't seen before now, and I've got to tell you that coming up for a dessert idea based on a film that you have never seen is bloody difficult, so you'll have to forgive me if the next few cakes don't really add up. This idea came to me in a random burst of inspiration, the title, "Home on the Range" as a Wild West-ern ring to it, in the Wild West they had wagons, and wagons had wheels. Therefore for this movie's cake I planned to replicate as best I could the biscuity marshmallow goodness of a Wagon Wheel.

Now originally I'd planned to do this by baking a chocolate cake, covering it in home made marshmallow, and covering that in chocolate. But my better half Alex protested "that's not what a Wagon Wheel is like!" he said, and then went to the shop and bought me one to prove it. He was right, of course. The Wagon Wheel was in fact more biscuit-y than cake-y, and the marshmallow was sandwich between two biscuits. I think I was thinking of a Tea Cake. Anyhow, after eating half a Wagon Wheel (Al had the other half) I re thunk the recipe in my head.

I kind of made this one up as I went along, but took inspiration from recipes here and here, although I have to admit I messed with the quantities somewhat.
Prep time: 20 mins
Chill time: 2 hours minimum
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

175g milk chocolate
200g dark chocolate
300g Rich Tea biscuits
150g butter
pinch of salt
4tbsp caster sugar
3tbsp cocoa powder
4tbsp golden syrup
50ml boiling water
1tsp vanilla extract
1 sachet gelatin powder (around 10g)
100ml cold water
200g granulated sugar
1 egg white

1. Line 2 cake tins with cling film, and a third with greaseproof paper. Sprinkle a little icing sugar or cornflour over the greaseproof paper.
2. Break 75g of milk chocolate and 100g dark chocolate into a bowl and melt, either in the microwave or over a pan of boiling water. Put to one side. Blitz the Rich Tea biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs, again put to one side. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat, then add the pinch of salt, sugar, cocoa powder and golden syrup. Stir until all the ingredient have dissolved then remove from the heat. Pour the melted chocolate into the mixture and stir until well combined. Pour the chocolate mixture into the biscuit crumbs and mix well. divide the mixture evenly between the two cake tins lined with cling film and pressed down with the back of the a spoon. Place in the fridge to chill.
3. Add the vanilla extract and gelatin to the boiling water and stir until the gelatin has dissolved, put to one side. Place the cold water and the sugar in a heavy based pan over a low heat, stirring until the sugar as dissolved. Stop stirring and increase the heat, and leave the sugar to bubble until it reaches 122°C. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin. Beat the egg white until stiff, then slowly pour the sugar mixture into the egg white whilst still beating. Pour the marshmallow into the cake tin lined with greaseproof paper and leave to set for at least two hours.
4. Once everything has set, melt the remaining chocolate and leave to cool slightly. Turn out one of the biscuit-cakes and place it on a serving board. Turn the marshmallow layer out on top of this, and carefully peel the greaseproof paper from the marshmallow.Turn the remaining biscuit-cake out and place it on top of the marshmallow. Spread the cooled, melted chocolate over the top and sides of the cake and leave to set.
5. Cut into slices and enjoy!

Next time it's Chicken Little, and I'll be making some Eggs-celent cupcakes!

Happy Thoughts

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