Gluten Free Biscuit Spread Cupcakes (using Schär Spekulatius)
You need to try my Gluten Free Biscuit Spread!! It is smooth, creamy and perfectly spiced with a Christmas flavours courtesy of Schär’s Spekulatius. I’ve also included a recipe below for how to use the spread to make the perfect Biscuit Spread Cupcakes!
Have you tried Spekulatius before? They are crunchy biscuits filled with cinnamon, spice and all things nice!! Schär’s version is gluten free, wheat free, lactose free and vegan!! You can buy them in selected Asda, Sainsburys, Morrisons, and Waitrose store as well as online at Ocado. but warning – they are addictive!! Once I’ve opened a pack, I can’t stop until they’re gone.
Before we get going, whilst we’re talking about Schär, I just wanted to mention their Christmas page too! If you click here, it’ll take you to their website where you can find TONS of gluten free Christmas recipes – from ginger biscuits to chocolate snowmen and mince pies and lots more!!! You can also see what yummy treats Schär has to offer like chocolate fingers and panettone.
Here’s the spread I made from simply blending the biscuits with golden syrup, milk and butter. It couldn’t be easier!
Now, lets get on with the recipes. Below I’ve included:
- (a) Ingredients – a bit of info ab out all the bits you need and substitutions you can make
- (b) RECIPE 1 – THE SPREAD
- (c) RECIPE 2 – THE CUPCAKES
Ingredients for my Biscuit Spread Cupcakes
Here’s everything you need to make the spread AND the cupcakes.
1) Gluten Free Flour
- Cupcakes: Ideally you need self-raising for the cupcakes. If not, add 1.5 tsp of baking powder to the plain flour.
- Brand: I like Doves Farm FREEE
(2) Caster Sugar – White granulated sugar would be fine too
(3) Icing Sugar – no other options here I’m afraid!
(4) Milk – any type will do, dairy free or not. You can even use cream!
(5) Flora – this is my preference for making cakes and buttercream as it makes them light and fluffy and is naturally dairy free but of course you can replace it for any of your preferred brands
(6) Egg – I’m yet to try other options but I’m told flax eggs, chia or even more apple sauce can work! Will try them asap and update this guide
(7) Golden Syrup – maple syrup will work too. You can leave it out all together but you might want a little extra milk to replace the liquid and perhaps a bit of sugar to sweeten the taste (totally personal choice!)
SAVING THE BEST TILL LAST….
(8) Schär Spekulatius Biscuits – There is no replacement for these… they are far too yummy to swap! Available in selected Asda, Sainsburys, Morrisons, and Waitrose store as well as online at Ocado… and they are so good!! Lactose free too.
RECIPE 1: THE BISCUIT SPREAD
This makes enough spread to fill a 300g jam jar.
Gluten Free Spekulatius Spread
Ingredients
- 2 packets of Schär Spekulatius biscuits
- 4 tbsp milk - regular milk/any dairy free option
- 4 tbsp golden syrup
- 60 grams spread/butter - I use Flora Original
Instructions
- Place the spread into a saucepan and heat on a low temperature until melted. Do not let it boil otherwise it might have a burnt taste!
- Add the biscuits, melted butter, milk and golden syrup to a blender
- Blend until roughly smooth.
- Scrape down the sides of the blender and blend again until its velvetty and very smooth.
- Transfer to a jar/container and leave to cool to room temperature.
- Seal the jar/container and place into the fridge until you're ready to eat!
Notes
RECIPE 2: THE BISCUIT SPREAD CUPCAKES
Gluten Free Biscuit Spread Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 225 grams Gluten Free Self-Raising Flour
- 225 grams Caster Sugar
- 225 grams Spread
- 4 Eggs
Topping
- 4 tsp of Spekulatius Spread
- 12 Schär Spekulatius Biscuits
- Approx 2 Schär Spekulatius Biscuits for crumble
- 150 grams Spread
- 350 grams Icing Sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 180oC (fan).
- Place 12 cupcake cases into your cupcake/muffin tray
- In a large bowl, whisk together the butter & sugar until fully combined. >You’re looking for the mix to be paler, smooth & creamy! I use an electric whisk for 1 min.
- Crack all the eggs into a separate bowl & beat together until just starting to froth up, like the picture. >Takes 5 seconds. You can use the electric whisk for this too.
- Add the flour and eggs to the butter/sugar. Whisk together until JUST combined (10 seconds). >Don’t over whisk, otherwise you’ll lose the air bubbles & your cake won’t be quite so fluffy!
- Scrape right around the sides of the bowl to pick up any excess flour. Give the mixture one final whisk, making sure you reach right to the bottom of the bowl and everything is fully combined. >Still try not to over whisk! 5 seconds at most.
- Place 1 tbsp heaped of the cake mix into each cupcake case. >I find its best to do this using two spoons – one to scoop up the mix and the other to scrape it into the cupcake case. >Each case should be about 2/3rd full. >GENTLY level each of them out slightly, so the cake mix is spread around the case quite evenly. Try not to get too much around the top 1/3 of the case (this is just to make your end result look extra neat!)
- Place the cupcakes into the centre of the oven. Bake for approx 17 mins. >Do not open the oven door during the first 15 mins otherwise your pancakes won’t rise. >You’re looking for them to be firm on top but springy to touch and a knife/skewer poked into the middle of the cake should come out relatively clean! Second pic shows what a "clean knife" looks like. If its not, pop the cake back into the oven for 2 mins and repeat.
- Once cooked, leave the cupcakes in the tray for 5 mins to cool and firm up slightly. Then transfer to a cooling rack.
Butter Icing
- Add the butter and icing sugar to a bowl. Whisk until smooth. This will take at least 2 mins.>It should look like the second pic – thoroughly mixed together, pale and fluffy! The first one hasn't been whisked enough because you can still see bits of icing sugar. Its also still quite yellow.
Decorating
- Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes
- Remove your Biscuit Spread from the fridge. Place approx 4 tsp in a bowl and give it a good stir to warm it up and make it runnier! You can also place it into the microwave for 10 seconds if that's easier.
- Drizzle the Biscuit Spread over the cupcakes
- Place 1 Spekulatius biscuit onto each cupcakes.
- Crumble the remaining Spekulatius biscuits into a bowl. Sprinkle the crumbs onto the cupcakes.
- EAT!!!
Don’t forget, if you’re after more reliable Christmas recipes, head to Schärs Christmas page too!
