Some foods are just made for each other. Think cheese and chutney, chocolate and caramel, peanut butter and jelly. But what about Maltesers and Marmite? Or maltesers and soy sauce? I was skeptical, too, but these surprising combinations were born out of a rather innovative challenge posed by UK-based Mars Wrigley (famous for Twix, Galaxy and M&Ms) and Google Cloud. result? Delicious.
A chocolate maker and a tech brand team up to explore whether creativity is indeed the final frontier of artificial intelligence. How do you ask? And of course, there's the baking challenge. The Google Cloud team designed a machine learning model that can scan hundreds of existing recipes to create unique new cakes. Also throwing the same challenge at The Great British Bake Off 2020 winner Peter Sawkins. Welcome to Baking Battle.
It turns out that the AI Cake is a delicious cross between cake and biscuit - a cake if you will - topped with Marmite butter that you have to taste to believe it. Sawkins takes a nostalgic approach, creating delicious dishes based on his mother's recipes and adding a modern twist with a dash of soy sauce. "Creating the perfect blend," Sawkins explains, "of umami."
Who won the game? Well, that's up to you. You can find the two recipes below in full at www.bakeagainstthemachine.co.uk and enter the competition to win a stand mixer. As they say in the GBBO tent: Get set, set, and bake!
View on Instagram
Matissa Artificial Intelligence Cake
For cookies you need:
- 20g self raising flour
- 132g plain flour
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 80g butter
- 72g light brown sugar
- 21g caster sugar
- 1/2 eggs lightly beaten (~30g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon golden syrup
- 30g crushed maltesers (you can crush them in a plastic bag)
For the frosting you will need:
- 165 g butter, room temperature (1 ½ stick)
- 330g powdered sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon double cream
- 1 tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoon golden syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons Marmite
- Extra crushed and whole maltesers for garnish (optional)
For the cake you will need:
- 57g self raising flour
- 30g all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon almond flour
- 1/16 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 60g golden sugar
- 17g caster sugar
- 55g butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon golden syrup
- 20 g crushed maltesers
View on Instagram
To make the cookies, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. In a mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar, and caster sugar. When smooth, add eggs, vanilla extract and syrup. Fold the maltesa, then shape into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator to chill while you make the other ingredients, you can leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
To make the cake, place the flour, baking soda and powder, and both sugars in a mixer. Once all ingredients are mixed add butter. Then add the eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla extract, oil and sour cream. Once the texture becomes creamy, add the maitissa.
Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. Lightly grease six 175ml pudding molds and place on a baking sheet.
Then roll out the cookie dough on a floured surface and cut out six circles using a 7cm round cutter or the top of a glass. Place a tablespoon of batter into each mold and bake for seven minutes. After three minutes take it out of the oven and place three malts in the middle. Then cover with round cookies.
Return to the oven and bake for another 14 to 16 minutes, until the cookies are browned. Remove and wait for some time to cool. Carefully loosen each treat, then flip the tray over to loosen them.
To make the frosting, place the butter and cream in a mixer. Then add half the powdered sugar and mix. Add cream and remaining icing sugar. Once combined add the syrup and Marmite and mix. Ice the cake and top with the remaining maltissa.
Madissa Dessert
For the basics you will need:
- 50g butter
- 25g golden syrup
- 100g digestive biscuits, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 100 g maitissa, crushed
- 100g dark chocolate
For the mousse you will need:
- 200ml whole milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 50g caster sugar
- 4 tablespoons malted milk powder
- 200g dark chocolate
- 200g double cream
For the caramel insert you will need:
- 100g sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 15g butter
- 70g double cream
- 20ml dark soy sauce
For the glaze you will need:
- 100g water
- 80g caster sugar
- 120g glucose syrup
- 10g cocoa powder
- 70 g sweetened condensed milk - 3 gelatin leaves
- 100g dark chocolate
View on Instagram
For this bake, Sawkin's recommends that you use a mold with a diameter of 6.5cm and a height of 3.5cm.
To make the base, heat butter and syrup over low heat until melted. Then remove from the heat and stir in the crumbled biscuits, salt and maltose. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the mold and compress.
Melt the chocolate and brush a layer on top of the base. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to cool.
To make caramel, stir sugar and water over high heat until the sugar dissolves and begins to boil. Stop stirring and continue heating until it turns dark amber. Beat in the butter, then gradually add the double cream. Stir the soy sauce evenly and pour into the mini hemisphere molds. Place it in the refrigerator to solidify.
To make the mousse, heat the milk in a saucepan until it boils. Place egg yolks, sugar and malted milk powder in a bowl and stir. Pour the hot milk over the egg yolk mixture while stirring. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 82°C. Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool to 35°C. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold cream into chocolate mixture.
Fill the mold 2/3 full with mousse. Roll out a dollop of caramel from the refrigerator (it's malleable but very sticky) and press into the center of the mousse. Cover with remaining mousse, smooth top and freeze.
To make the glaze, soak the gelatine sheets in cold water. Place the water, sugar, glucose syrup and cocoa powder in a pot and heat over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring. Turn off the heat and stir in the condensed milk. Then squeeze out the excess liquid from the gelatin and stir into the mixture. Pour this mixture over the chocolate in the bowl and emulsify with a stick blender. Sieve and set aside to cool to 35-40°C.
To glaze your treats, you'll unmold your frozen mousses and place them on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Pour generously over the glaze to cover the mousse. Carefully lift them off the rack and use a palette knife to transfer to a baking sheet. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
Top with some maltesers and serve.
