To be honest I could do without summer. It is my least favorite season, followed closely by spring. (I'm an autumn and winter girl all the way!) The heat and humidity are the mortal enemies of my hair. The mosquitos are practically the state bird of Michigan. And don't even get me started on the allergies I experience when all that fauna starts a-bloomin. But those cool summer nights make it all worth it. My favorite memories are of family trips to the beach on Lake Michigan, building bonfires, and making s'mores under a sky full of stars. The sound of the waves as the roll onto the beach when it's too dark to see and the glow from the fire just make me feel so at home.
That was the inspiration for these cupcakes. I made them for my sister's high school graduation party. I was trying to think of something that just screamed summer and then I had a "duh" moment, and these were the result. I did some research to see how others have made s'more cupcakes and all the ones that I found had a graham cracker crust on the bottom, a chocolate cupcake and a marshmallow frosting, but I thought it would be interesting to make an actual graham cracker cupcake. I made a chocolate ganache to fill the cupcakes, to kind of make you think of melty chocolate in a s'more. And of course, toasting the top of the marshmallow frosting had to happen. I know it's October and I'm embracing all things autumn-y right now, but I just had a craving for s'mores and since I just moved away from where my family lives, I thought this would maybe help with the home-sickness I'm having right now. And you know what? It really just made me miss them more. Dang it!
S'mores Cupcakes
makes 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake:
9 1/2 ounces graham crackers broken up into pieces
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs, room temperature, seperated
Ganache:
2 cups dark chocolate (or any kind you prefer really)
1 cup heavy cream
Frosting:
8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cup tins and set aside.
Combine the graham crackers, flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and grind into a fine crumb. Combine the milk and vanilla in a separate container.
In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, completely incorporating after each one. You may want to scrape the bowl down with a spatula to make sure everything is mixed together. Reduce speed to low and add the flour and graham cracker mixture, alternating with the milk and vanilla mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop the mixer once incorporated.
In a clean bowl beat the egg whites with a whisk/whip attachment on medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter, gently folding until completely incorporated. Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter until combined. You need to fold the egg whites in gently and gradually to avoid deflating them.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds full. Baked until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and they spring back with slightly pushed, about 15 minutes. Leave cupcakes in the pans to cool completely.
Ganache:
Chop the chocolate into pieces and put into a heat proof bowl.
Heat the heavy cream in a pan until simmering. Be careful to watch the cream as it can go from a simmer to a boil in an instant, and when it boils it bubbles up and can over flow out of the pan.
Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let sit for a couple minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. Stir in slow circles using a whisk or spatula. Make sure not to stir to fast or you will add air to the ganache. We're making ganache here people, not mousse.
Once the chocolate and cream are completely combined allow the ganache to cool to room temperature. As it cools it will set into a spreadable, pipe-able heavenly goodness.
Frosting:
Combine the eggs, sugar, and cream of tartar in a pan and heat to 120 degrees F over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Once the mixture reaches temperature transfer to a clean mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. You may have to let the mixture cool slightly once it reaches stiff peaks, but for me it usually cools enough from getting whipped.
Put some of the marshmallow frosting (this is also called meringue, but since it's for a s'mores cupcake I'm calling it marshmallow) in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
To assemble:
Cut a little cone shape out of the center of each cupcake. Using a piping bag, pipe a generous amount of the ganache into the holes in the cupcakes. Then pipe the marshmallow frosting onto the cupcakes however you like. I liked making a larger surface area of the frosting for torching purposes. Finally (finally!) use a kitchen torch to toast the tops of the marshmallow frosting for a toasted s'more look and taste. Enjoy!!! These cupcakes are best eaten the day they are made, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Cupcake:
9 1/2 ounces graham crackers broken up into pieces
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs, room temperature, seperated
Ganache:
2 cups dark chocolate (or any kind you prefer really)
1 cup heavy cream
Frosting:
8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cup tins and set aside.
Combine the graham crackers, flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and grind into a fine crumb. Combine the milk and vanilla in a separate container.
In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, completely incorporating after each one. You may want to scrape the bowl down with a spatula to make sure everything is mixed together. Reduce speed to low and add the flour and graham cracker mixture, alternating with the milk and vanilla mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop the mixer once incorporated.
In a clean bowl beat the egg whites with a whisk/whip attachment on medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter, gently folding until completely incorporated. Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter until combined. You need to fold the egg whites in gently and gradually to avoid deflating them.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds full. Baked until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and they spring back with slightly pushed, about 15 minutes. Leave cupcakes in the pans to cool completely.
Ganache:
Chop the chocolate into pieces and put into a heat proof bowl.
Heat the heavy cream in a pan until simmering. Be careful to watch the cream as it can go from a simmer to a boil in an instant, and when it boils it bubbles up and can over flow out of the pan.
Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let sit for a couple minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. Stir in slow circles using a whisk or spatula. Make sure not to stir to fast or you will add air to the ganache. We're making ganache here people, not mousse.
Once the chocolate and cream are completely combined allow the ganache to cool to room temperature. As it cools it will set into a spreadable, pipe-able heavenly goodness.
Frosting:
Combine the eggs, sugar, and cream of tartar in a pan and heat to 120 degrees F over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Once the mixture reaches temperature transfer to a clean mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. You may have to let the mixture cool slightly once it reaches stiff peaks, but for me it usually cools enough from getting whipped.
Put some of the marshmallow frosting (this is also called meringue, but since it's for a s'mores cupcake I'm calling it marshmallow) in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
To assemble:
Cut a little cone shape out of the center of each cupcake. Using a piping bag, pipe a generous amount of the ganache into the holes in the cupcakes. Then pipe the marshmallow frosting onto the cupcakes however you like. I liked making a larger surface area of the frosting for torching purposes. Finally (finally!) use a kitchen torch to toast the tops of the marshmallow frosting for a toasted s'more look and taste. Enjoy!!! These cupcakes are best eaten the day they are made, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
