Chocolate S'mores Cupcakes

I had such a good time baking and decorating with my friend George, that I decided to do a second installment of Baking with George! This time I'm sharing these amazing S’mores Cupcakes. They are so special and were so much fun to make. My family loves old-fashioned s’mores and the cupcake version is just as good! 



As I mentioned in my last post, I was never adventurous with baking. I stuck with simple – which worked great for me – but since working with George, I have a whole new excitement to create extra special treats like these cupcakes.

We started with chocolate cupcakes (made ahead of time so they were properly cooled). George used extra large/jumbo muffin tins. The bigger cupcakes work well because there's more surface space for icing and embellishing. (We used this Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe.) 

Next, we melted a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips – we used a glass nesting bowl in the microwave. Incidentally, this is Ina Garten's preferred method to melt chocolate - stirring every 20 seconds until smooth. With a spoon, we spread a beautiful layer of chocolate on each cupcake and then added a layer of crushed graham crackers. We also used the melted chocolate to ‘glue’ three-block pieces of Hershey’s Chocolate Bars to graham crackers.

 

While the chocolate layer was setting a bit, we made Ina Garten’s Marshmallow recipe. You combine the gelatin with cold water in a bowl and then on the stove heat the ingredients for the syrup. The syrup must reach a temperature of 240 degrees, but pay close attention that it doesn’t burn. Also, pouring the mixture into the cold mixture/mixing bowl must be done slowly while the mixer is on so that it whips correctly.

Here comes the twist. Instead of letting the marshmallow harden in a pan, we spooned it into a piping bag and added it on top of the crushed graham cracker layer like icing. (When the mixing bowl starts to cool down, you’ll know the mixture is ready for the piping bag.)

Once we finished piping the marshmallow the real fun began! We used a crème brulee torch (or culinary blow torch) to singe the top of every cupcake. It’s that perfect fire-roasted marshmallow! AMAZING. Then we added the chocolate graham cracker pieces to finish them off.

Delicious! I am so grateful to George for bringing S’mores Cupcakes (and a crème brulee torch) into my life. They are out-of-this-world good and I felt like a little kid putting them together. Can’t wait to make them again this summer. Thank you, George!

 --Cassandra

 

Ina Garten's Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly. (after this step we added the mixture into a piping bag)

With a sieve, generously dust an 8 by 12-inch nonmetal baking dish with confectioners' sugar. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more confectioners' sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out. Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in squares. Dust them with more confectioners' sugar.

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