You know when you have days when you're on your way home and you remember you need to go to the shop for milk and you come out with at least 6 other things as well as milk. Things you don't even need and more than likely are always unhealthy. This time, mine was Maltesers. Three bags of them actually.
Let me just clarify, I wasn't intending to eat three bags of Maltesers on my own on a Saturday night, reading my book - although that does sound lovely. I ended up buying other things as well so that I could bake with the Maltesers. You see, I picked up these specific packets because they were charity packets. Maltesers UK are supporting comic relief and donating £5 for every Malteser bake shared. So really, it left me no choice. I had to bake.
I didn't really know what I wanted to bake when I left the shop. I got a couple of bits and pieces to leave my options open. I mean, the obvious ones are cupcakes or Malteser slices - both delicious options just so you know. By the time I got home, though, I had made up my mind.
Back in November, an American friend of mine asked me for a dessert pie recipe that wasn't too complicated. I'm ashamed to say that she never got a recipe from me. I did have one and it was so easy to follow, but technology failed me. The recipe I thought I sent her never actually sent. So I don't know what she ended up doing but it definitely wasn't my recipe. This is my way of making up to it... 3 months later.
Malteser Chocolate Pie
300g Maltesers
100g melted butter
420g milk chocolate (I used a popular purple coloured brand originally based in Birmingham UK)
300g double cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp caster sugar
Blitz the Maltesers in a food processor until they're nice and fine. Or keep them in the bag or put them in a bigger bag and mash them up with rolling pin. It's all the same. Mix in the melted butter well and pour it all into a pie dish. Press the mixture so that it covers the base and the sides without leaving any gaps. Put it in the fridge for half an hour.
Next make the filling. Heat half of the cream with half of the vanilla until it's ALMOST boiling. Do not let it boil because you don't want it to form a skin. Break up the chocolate into a heatproof bowl except one small square. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir it until the chocolate has completely melted. Pour it into the maltese crust and spread it out so that it covers the whole base. Leave in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
When you're about to serve, whip the rest of the cream, vanilla and sugar together until it's just stiff. You want it to be soft but not runny. Spread the cream over the top of the pie and grate the one square of chocolate over the top for decoration. If you bought more Maltesers, you can lightly crush them and sprinkle them on top instead of the milk chocolate.