S'mores - who doesn't like them? Seriously when I saw this picture in Martha Stewart's Cupcakes I admit it was hard to contain my excitement over this delectable looking cupcake. After showing it to the rest of the family and getting nods of approval all the way around I set out to create this. What I didn't realize is that this is not your average cupcake. This is not something thrown together in 30 minutes so I needed to step out of my comfort zone, but more on that in a bit.
The cupcake has 3 components: a graham cupcake - topped with a chocolate ganache - which then is topped with a piped on marshmallow creme. Sounds simple enough, right? Well it really wasn't that hard and the finished cupcake was quite the reward.
The graham cupcake is basically a really good cinnamon spiced cupcake that gets a bit of crunch from the graham flour. Graham flour is NOT ground up graham crackers but rather a kind of whole wheat flour. I searched the flour and health food aisles at the grocery store but to no luck. I started to think I wouldn't be able to make this, but after reading the graham flour description I decided to use organic stone ground whole wheat flour which has a much coarser texture then commercial whole wheat flour and added 1/2 cup of ground up graham crackers into the mix. It worked like a charm and the cupcake part turned out nicely.
The second component of chocolate ganache is straight forward. Good quality chocolate gets finely chopped and melted down with the addition of hot cream and light corn syrup which makes the ganache incredibly shiny.
Last but not least the marshmallow topping. This was going to be my "stepping out of the comfort zone" layer. In order to make this you have to bring sugar and water to the soft-ball candy stage which means I had to use my candy thermometer and the last time I did that things didn't go so well. But the candy gods must have been with me yesterday as everything went according to plan. After you have your hot sugar syrup it gets added to unflavored gelatin which is then whipped for about 10 minutes until thick and shiny, just like store bought marshmallow creme. It then gets piped on top of the ganache covered cupcakes. The marshmallow creme is then lightly toasted with a small blow torch (my husband had fun with that) just like a campfire marshmallow.
This was definitely a hit at our house and will make an appearance again.
O.K. so, good thing I have a wonderful friend to make us all these great treats, cause we all know my husband and fire don't get along, so having these cupcakes gives the full pleasure of yuminess without a camp fire or any BBQ fire at that.
ReplyDeleteShana
Yes, I like the white background too.
ReplyDeleteShana
This was a hit with me, too. The cake was grainier than I expected but I now know it was the grain of the flour. The ganache was smooth and tasty and now I realize part of this was the corn syrup. Very clever. The marshmallow top was the best. I bet Glynn had a heck of a time with the torch. We make creme brulee (my fave) and I love the torch!
ReplyDeleteI also like to take things apart and picked the marshmallow off the top after eating the cake bottom. Very fun for me.
These look so good!
ReplyDeleteI would take the marshmallow off too! ;-)
Devon, Glynn DID have a grand time with the torch ;o)and stay tuned for Creme Brulee, coming up in the near future.
ReplyDeleteThese look divine! I don't have a candy thermometer, so these'll have to wait a bit. But wow do they look great. Beautiful work!
ReplyDeleteI WILL MAKE THESE AS SOON AS I CAN FIND THE FLOUR.I AM TAKING ATRIP TO WHOLE FOODS HOPE TO FIND IT THERE. THEY LOK SO GOOD!!!
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