Maple fondant 'maggot' M&Ms in tempered chocolate and royal icing

Cook maple, sugar, corn syrup, cream and some salt to 240 degrees.

Pour into a mixing bowl and cool to about 118, then paddle until it turns from shiny to opaque, creamy and fluffy.

While still a little warm, fold in the puffed rice.

Melt chocolate and chop more as the seed, about 30% of the total; chopping helps it melt faster. Drop below the target temperature, where crystal formation is active, rather than just melting and cooling.

Roll the filling into balls, a little bigger than a peanut M&M, pulling out puffed rice where needed to smooth them.

Drop a little dollop of chocolate in one hand, keep the other clean, roll and drop. Double coat the ones that have set; setting in front of you shows the chocolate is tempered.

Refrigerate briefly.

Make royal icing from powdered sugar and egg white, adding until thick enough not to drip off. Work quickly as it dries and crusts fast.

Divide into five, colour, and dip and roll the centres in the icing.

Leave to dry, ideally overnight.