Malteser Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper. If you prefer a layered look, use two 6-inch pans and reduce bake time by a few minutes.

Whisk dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the granulated sugar until evenly combined.

Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until smooth.

Make batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Slowly pour in the hot water or coffee while stirring; the batter will be thin. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes for an 8-inch pan (or 18–22 minutes for 6-inch pans) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare equipment & egg whites: Ensure bowl and whisk are completely clean and dry. Bring the 3 egg whites to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes out of the fridge) for better volume.

Begin whipping: In the clean bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt on medium speed until foamy.

Add sugars gradually: Gradually add the granulated and caster sugars, one tablespoon at a time, while increasing speed to medium-high. Continue whipping until stiff glossy peaks form and the meringue holds shape (about 4–6 minutes). The sugars should be fully dissolved—rub a little meringue between fingers to check for grittiness.

Incorporate cocoa and honeycombe: Gently fold in the unsweetened cocoa powder until streak-free. Fold in half of the honeycombe pieces to keep crunch inside the meringue, reserving the rest for topping and garnish. Do not overfold—maintain volume.

Top the sponge: Once the chocolate sponge is completely cool, spoon or pipe the meringue on top, creating peaks and texture. The meringue will be light and slightly crunchy from honeycombe bits.

Optional torch/brief bake: If you prefer a lightly toasty exterior, use a kitchen blowtorch to gently brown the meringue peaks. Alternatively, place the assembled cake under a very hot broiler for 1–2 minutes while watching closely to prevent burning.

Make the toffee: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, stirring occasionally until it turns a deep amber color. Be careful — sugar can burn quickly.

Add butter and cream: Remove from heat and carefully stir in the butter until melted, then slowly add the double cream while stirring (mixture may bubble vigorously). Return briefly to very low heat to smooth the sauce. Stir in the sea salt.

Cool slightly: Allow the toffee to cool for 5–10 minutes until warm but pourable. If it sets too much, gently rewarm over low heat or microwave in short bursts.

Drizzle: Spoon or pour the warm toffee over the meringue-topped sponge. Let some toffee run down the sides for a decorative effect.

Add remaining honeycombe and Maltesers: Immediately after drizzling, sprinkle the reserved honeycombe pieces over the toffee and press a handful of Malteser chocolates into the top to adhere to the toffee and meringue. Arrange additional Maltesers around the edge or center as desired.

Finish and optional chocolate drizzle: If using melted chocolate, drizzle it in a contrasting pattern over the top. Dust very lightly with the cocoa powder for a finishing touch.

Set and serve: Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes so the toffee sets slightly. Slice with a warm knife (wipe between cuts) to get clean slices. Serve within a few hours for best texture — meringue will soften over time but remains crispier if served soon after assembly.