Spider Muffins for Halloween

Ingredients

• 75 g Medjool dates (7 Medjool dates)
• 100 g applesauce
• 2 Eggs
• 100 g butter
• 250 g spelt flour Type 1050
• 0.5 sachet baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 125 ml buttermilk
• 350 g chocolate-coated cookie sticks (e.g., Mikado)
• 250 g dark chocolate couverture
• 48 almond kernels
• 100 g chocolate sprinkles (or rapeseed chocolate)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Pit the dates, cover with water and soak for 12 hours, preferably overnight. The next day drain the soaking water and finely puree the dates together with the applesauce. Separate the eggs. Whip the butter until fluffy, add the yolks one at a time while continuing to stir. Add the date mixture to the butter mixture and whisk well. Combine the spelt flour with baking powder and salt. Alternately fold in the buttermilk into the batter in several steps. Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks and fold them into the batter.

2. 2.

   Place small paper cups into the depressions of a mini muffin tin. Fill each cup about halfway with batter and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (fan 160 °C; gas: level 2–3) for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

3. 3.

   For decorating, break off the glazed ends of the cookie sticks to use as long legs and set aside. For the short ends to be inserted into the cupcakes, cut the sticks in half. Place one long and one short stick at right angles to each other. Do not place the short, unglazed ends; instead insert them later into the batter. Chop the dark chocolate couverture and melt it. Fill a small piping bag with 100 g of chocolate and pipe a small chocolate blob onto each stick end. Let dry until firm. Also place small blobs on the almonds to serve as eyes.

4. 4.

   Spread the remaining chocolate over the cupcakes. Sprinkle sprinkles over them and press the eyes lightly into the batter. Carefully insert the dried legs on the sides.