Liam Charles’s Cinnamon Snails

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/410°F/Gas 8

Step 2

For the filling, melt the 20g salted butter then set aside to cool.

Step 3

Mix the two sugars and spices together in a small bowl.

Step 4

For the dough, melt the butter and set aside to cool.

Step 5

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar and spices, then gradually add in the milk and melted butter. Mix to bring together into a dough, then knead very lightly until just smooth. Don’t be tempted to over handle the dough or it’ll become tough.

Step 6

Flour the surface well and roll out the dough to approximately 30cm by 25cm, making sure that one of the shorted sides is closest to you.

Step 7

Leaving a 3cm gap along the short edge furthest away from you, brush the dough with the 20g melted salted butter, then sprinkle the spiced sugar over the dough, followed by an even layer of the chopped pecans. Lightly dust the gap of dough with flour.

Step 8

Starting from the short side nearest to you, roll the dough into a tight sausage.

Step 9

Trim the ends, then slice the dough into 6 evenly sized pieces. Turn them onto their sides so you can see the swirl.

Step 10

Place each cinnamon swirl on to the lined baking sheet, making sure to leave as much space as possible between each roll. Carefully unfold the end of the cinnamon swirl without the filling, gently twisting it and lying it flat to make the snail’s head.

Step 11

For the egg wash, lightly whisk the egg with a fork, then brush onto the outside of each cinnamon snail.

Step 12

Bake for 15 minutes until puffed up and golden. Once baked, transfer to a cooling rack.

Step 13

Meanwhile, for the icing, combine the ingredients and beat well until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag and set aside.

Step 14

For the snail eyes. Melt the dark chocolate in a small heatproof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water. Spoon into a heatproof piping bag. Repeat with the white chocolate, spooning it into a separate heatproof piping bag.

Step 15

Lie the 12 biscuit sticks on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and pipe eyes with the white and dark chocolate over the top of each stick, or “tentacle”. Place in the fridge to set.

Step 16

Once the cinnamon snails are cool, snip the end of the piping bag with the icing and piping a neat line to highlight the swirl of the snail. Carefully poke two “tentacles” with eyes into the head of each snail.