Think of the most melt-in-your-mouth South African treat that evokes hmm-hmm-hmm every single time. Think of whipped crème (or vanilla marshmallow fluff) on a wafer biscuit that’s absolutely smothered in chocolate. Are you thinking about a Sweetie Pie? We bet you are!

Sweetie Pies are an iconic South African treat from the Beyers brand. Cadbury also makes Sweetie Pies, just in case you’re wondering!

According to Beyers, the Beyers Sweetie Pie ingredients include fresh strawberry crème, milk chocolate, wafer biscuit and their trademark Sweetie Pie Mallow Pies! If we had to guess, we’d say the ingredients are heavenly!

Sweetie Pies are known as Cutie Pies or Chocolate Kisses in other countries. And the best news is that you can make your very own Sweetie Pies at home. They don’t have to look as timid as the Sweetie Pies you’re used to, either! You can make them bigger or more extravagant and even decorate them as desired.

The History of Sweetie Pies in South Africa

Sweetie Pies have been around in SA for as long as most of us can remember. They were discontinued in 2013, only to be brought back in 2014 with one change – the wrapper had changed from purple to red!

Of course, the other changes that came about included new flavours. You can now get the following types and flavours of Sweetie Pies:

• Strawberry
• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Mint

Sweetie Pies are the brainchild of Beyers chocolates, which was founded by a Belgian confectioner in South Africa called Kees Beyers in 1987. Starting out at a humble 40 square meter premises, the company has grown to run a thriving 7000 square meter manufacturing plant and a factory shop in Johannesburg.

But now that you’ve got some background, it’s time for the good stuff – how to actually make them!

The best Sweetie Pie recipe we’ve tried!

Because we know that Sweetie Pies are moreish, we’re including a Sweetie Pie recipe that makes around 30 Sweetie Pies!

You will need at least 3 bowls, a pot of simmering hot water, baking paper, a baking tray, a sealable jar, and a piping bag.

What you need for the vanilla marshmallow fluff

• 3 large egg whites
• ½ cup of liquid glucose (find this at a baking store or pharmacy)
• ¾ cup of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

What you need for the Sweet Pies

• 30 mini wafer biscuits of your choice (Marie Biscuits make a good alternative)
• 300g of 70% dark chocolate – break this up into small pieces
• Edible glitter or other décor items you prefer

What to do

• In a bowl, place the sugar, liquid glucose and egg whites. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water.
• Beat the mixture with an electric handheld beater for around 15 minutes. The mixture should form a meringue that is glossy and thick. Only move on to the next step when you see a notable difference in the thickness and texture of the mixture.
• Now, remove the mixture from the heat and place it into another clean bowl. This bowl should be cool and not hot.
• Add the vanilla extract and whisk the mixture until it cools down and appears thicker/fluffier. This is your marshmallow fluff and a large part of the hmm-hmm-hmm appeal of this treat!
• Put the marshmallow fluff into a clean jar and seal it. The jar should be airtight once sealed. Place this in the fridge until you need it. You will find that this mixture can last in the jar for around 7 days.
• On a baking tray, place some baking paper and then lay out all the mini wafer biscuits. This is a no-bake recipe, so there’s no need to preheat the oven at all.
• Get a piping bag and fill it with the marshmallow fluff. Take some time to pipe the mixture in swirls on the wafer biscuits. Try swirling the fluffy to make towers on top of the wafer business.
• Sprinkle the small pieces of chocolate into a bowl and place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. The chocolate should slowly melt – once it’s all melted, remove it from the heat and allow to cool slightly without allowing it to re-set.
• Drizzle the melted chocolate over the marshmallow fluff until you’re happy that it’s suitably smothered.
• Pop these little works of art into the refrigerator and allow them to set. This takes just a few moments/minutes, but you can leave them in for longer if you don’t plan to gobble them up immediately. Once they’re set, sprinkle with the edible glitter and dig in!
• Don’t forget to share them with others!

This is the perfect treat just-because or for a special celebration. Goes just as well with a glass of champagne as it does with a mug of tea or coffee.

Chat to the team at FinGlobal

We’d like to go as far as to say that we’re a bunch of sweetie pies at FinGlobal, but the reality is that we’re a team of highly experienced consultants ready to take the stress right out of your financial and tax emigration endeavours. Our services are focused on tailor-made solutions for all expat and soon-to-be expats needs relating to FOREX, tax, retirement annuities, pensions, and more. We can advise you on tax and financial emigration process or assist you every step of the way – your choice.

With at least ten years in the industry behind us, we are confident that there’s no financial or tax emigration scenario that’s too challenging for us to handle. We understand that you’d like to discuss your options and the various processes involved, so we make ourselves readily available to you at all times. You can reach out to us in any way that you feel most comfortable with – give us a call on +27 28 313 5600 or send an email to info@finglobal.com for further assistance.