Ingredients:

Sponge cake batter for about 12 pieces:
150 g soft butter or margarine
100 g sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar
5 drops of bitter almond flavouring
3 eggs
250 g wheat flour
2 level tsp baking powder
3 tbsp milk
1 tin halved apricots
(drained weight 240 g)

Brittle:
150 g sugar
100 g slivered almonds
Some cooking oil (e.g. sunflower oil)

Topping:
100 g white chocolate
200 g soft butter
50 g icing sugar

1. For the brittle, caramelise sugar in a pan on medium heat until golden brown. Add the almonds, mix and let the mixture heat up a little.

2. Pour the hot caramel mixture onto the baking paper. Place a second sheet of baking paper on top. Roll the mixture out as flat as possible with a rolling pin (watch out – the mixture is very hot!).

3. As soon as you can lift the top layer of baking paper, remove it. Lightly brush the blade of a large, sturdy knife with some oil and cut 12 strips that measure about 1 cm wide and 6 cm long from the hot brittle. Let the brittle cool.

4. Blend the butter or margarine in a bowl using a mixer (beaters) until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla sugar and flavouring until it forms a batter. Add the eggs quickly, one at a time, mixing on the highest setting. Combine the flour with the baking powder and gently incorporate it with the milk.

5. Cut the apricot halves into cubes. Chop up the remaining brittle and mix with the apricot cubes. Fill the batter into your moulds.

6. Slide the muffin pan into a preheated oven (top/bottom heat: 180°C, fan-assisted: 160°C). The muffins will be done after approx. 25 minutes. Remove from the moulds and let them cool on a cake rack.

7. For the topping, coarsely chop the chocolate, melt it in a small pot in a water bath on a low heat, stirring constantly, and then leave it to cool. Beat the butter with a hand mixer and then add the sieved icing sugar. Incorporate the melted chocolate one tablespoon at a time. Put the mixture into a pastry bag with a star or hole piping tip (Ø 8 mm) and then pipe onto the cupcakes. To finish, decorate with your strips of brittle.