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Včelí úlky
No-bake beehive biscuits
Včelí úlky: Czech no-bake Christmas 'beehive' biscuits with egg-yolk cream
Včelí úlky ('little beehives') are a classic of the Czech Christmas cookie plate (cukroví), which families build up through Advent with a dozen or more kinds. They need no oven: crushed biscuits, ground walnuts, cocoa and butter are pressed into beehive moulds, filled with a smooth egg-yolk cream and sealed with a disc of biscuit. Traditionally a little rum is added to the dough; this version uses milk, and adults may add 1 tbsp rum. The cream is cooked to 71 °C so the yolks are safe, though anyone pregnant or vulnerable may prefer pasteurised yolks. Chef's tip: chill the filled hives before unmoulding, or they collapse.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the beehives
- 7 oz plain tea biscuitsfinely ground
- 3 ½ oz walnutsfinely ground
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 ⅛ oz icing sugar
- 2 ⅞ oz soft butter
- 4 tbsp milkor 3 tbsp milk plus 1 tbsp rum for adults
For the egg-yolk cream
- 2 egg yolkspasteurised if needed
- 2 ⅛ oz icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 ½ oz soft butter
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 7 oz plain tea biscuits, 3 ½ oz walnuts, 2 tbsp cocoa powder and 2 ⅛ oz icing sugar, then work in 2 ⅞ oz soft butter and 4 tbsp milk to a firm, malleable dough like modelling clay.
Step 2: Dust a beehive mould with icing sugar, press in a thin layer of dough to line it, and trim the edge. Keep a quarter of the dough for the bases. Repeat to make about 24 hives, lining them up on a tray.
30 minStep 3: For the cream, whisk 2 egg yolks with 2 ⅛ oz icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a heatproof bowl over simmering water for 5–7 minutes, until thick, pale and 160°F on a thermometer. Cool completely.
7 minStep 4: Beat 3 ½ oz soft butter until fluffy, then beat in the cooled yolk mixture a spoon at a time to a smooth cream.
Step 5: Pipe or spoon the cream into the lined hives, flatten, and cover each with a thin disc of the saved dough.
Step 6: Chill for 1 hour, then tip out of the moulds. A common mistake is unmoulding warm, which tears the hives. Keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does včelí úlky take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of walnuts?
- Pecans or chocolate chips, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cocoa powder?
- Drinking chocolate, same amount (sweeter, so cut the sugar).
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Perfect for:Christmas