Snowflake sparkles

1.Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan forced). Line eight holes of 12-hole (⅓-cup/80ml) muffin pan with paper cases.

2.Beat butter, sugar and eggs in small bowl with electric mixer until ingredients are combined, transfer mixture to medium bowl. Stir in marmalade and fruit, then sifted dry ingredients and sherry.

3.Drop ⅓ cups of mixture into paper cases. Bake about 1¼ hours. Brush cakes with extra sherry. Cover pan with foil, cool cakes in pan overnight.

4.Fill a small piping bag without a tube with the melted chocolate. Pipe snowflake shapes onto baking (parchment) paper, top each with a large oval cachous. Stand snowflakes at room temperature until set.

5.To make fluffy frosting. Combine sugar and the water in small saucepan; stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Boil, uncovered, without stirring, about 5 minutes or until syrup reaches 116°C (96°C fan forced) on a candy thermometer. Syrup should be thick but not coloured. Remove from heat, allow bubbles to subside. Beat egg white in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. While motor is operating, add hot syrup in a thin steady stream; beat on high speed about 10 minutes or until mixture is thick.

6.Spread cold cakes with a thick layer of fluffy frosting, sprinkle with sugar crystals. Position a snowflake on each cake before the frosting has set.