S'mores Cupcakes

S'mores in a cupcake - yep, they taste like a S'more.  Graham cupcake with a chocolate ganache and then a marshmallow frosting that gets browned - it's pretty cool.  Plus I got to try out a kitchen torch, but we'll get to that in a little while.  Of course there's a story with it.  :) Yes, this does have a lot of steps to it, but they are really the cutest things when done - and a crowd pleaser. 

lightly browned and all ready to eat

The cupcake itself is easy.  They bake off nicely and once all cooled then the fun stuff begins.  Chocolate Ganache comes first.  It may look like you might not have enough for the 2 tsp on each cupcake, but you do. 

looks good

Once you are all done with those, time for the frosting.  Then put it in a giant ziplock bag when its ready and pipe away.



all piped and waiting to be toasted

After they are all piped, I do my dishes so the frosting has time to harden a little.  It doesn't take long since it's marshmallow, so by the time I'm done it's time to char them :)  I'm excited.  I borrowed my parents kitchen torch and had never used one before.  And my mom wasn't too sure how to use it, its been years since she's used it. 



nothing good can come from this

So I fill up the torch with the fuel and then tried my hardest to get a flame to light that thing.  Nothing....no matter what I did would light it.  I must of tried for 5 minutes straight and it just kept blowing gas out of the torch and not lighting when I would put a flame near it.  I gave up out of fear that I would blow my house up and decided just to stick the cupcakes on a cookie sheet and stick them under the broiler in the oven.  It doesn't take long to brown them in the oven so keep your eye on them. 

A little sad that I didn't get the torch to work, I happily set out to drop these off.  Huge hit.  People were excited to see them.  Who doesn't love a S'more?! 




S'mores Cupcakes

makes 24

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4 cup (2 1/2 sticks) butter, room temp

2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

6 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

Seven Minute Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, brown sugar and milk until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to medium; beat in eggs and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about three-quarters full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes to let cool completely. 
4. Spoon 2 tsps chocolate ganache onto each cupcake.  Fill pastry bag with frosting and pipe each cupcake; swirling tip and releasing as you pull up to form a peak.  Hold a small kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from surface of frosting, and wave it back and forth until frosting in lightly browned all over.  

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp light corn syrup

1. Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.  Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; pour mixture over chocolate.  Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.
2. Using a flexible spatula, gently stir in chocolate and cream until totally combined; begin near the center of the bowl and gradually work your way toward the edge, pulling in as much chocolate as possible, until the mixture is smooth and glossy.  Use immediately.

Seven Minute Frosting

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp sugar

2/3 cup water

2 tbsp light corn syrup

6 large egg whites, room temperature

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan; clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves.  Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230 degrees F.
2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  With mixer running, add remaining 2 tbsp sugar, beating to combine.
3. As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees, remove from heat.  With mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream.  Raise speed to medium-high; whisk until mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes.  Use immediately.