So it is mid August and Summer has FINALLY decided to grace Seattle with her presence. The sunshine and heat may have come late but my summer cravings were certainly on time!
Every time I went to the store, I would see huge S'mores stations at every corner. "Campfire size" jumbo marshmallows, boxes of graham crackers, and of course, Hershey's chocolate bars. I would stand there for a minute day dreaming of beaches and bonfires, of the sound of the ocean, wind in my hair....then I'd be thrust back into reality as my hands gripped the still wet handle bars of my rain drenched shopping cart. It rained a lot this summer. So what did I do? I bought a food torch. One of those cool creme brulee torches. It has officially become one of my fav kitchen tools to use.
So back to s'mores...it's been done before in cupcake form, surely not a new idea but this is my version - which is pretty similar to a lot of versions out there. But still, my version. The cake is my favorite double choc cake recipe with boiled icing both from my fav book Miette. I skip a few of the steps in the original recipe in the book just because I don't really find it necessary and the end product is just fine. It yields more cupcakes this way as well and I cut the sugar down a bit since this cupcake is very sweet! There is a graham cracker layer on the bottom, then a crusted layer baked in on top, and THEN again a layer on the bottom of the frosting that adds a little more umph for presentation. The Hershey chocolate square garnish completes it. Make it, bake it, and make "nom, nom, nom" sounds as you eat it. TRUST me, it tastes even yummier if you do this for some reason.
Graham Cracker layer:
-about 2 packages of graham crackers (there should be 3 in a box)
-1/4 cup of unsalted butter
-3 tbsp of sugar
Directions:
1. Take one pkg of crackers and smash in a ziploc bag until you get a fine crumb. Dump into bowl and at sugar and melted butter. Mix with a fork until combined.
2. Put a heaping tsp full of crumbs into each cupcake liner and press down with something flat (middle finger works just fine). Bake for 5 min and let cool before adding batter.
3. Reserve left over crumbs to sprinkle on top of batter.
Double Choc. Cupcake Recipe (adapted from Miette)
Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
-1 1/4 cup of cocoa powder (unsweetened)
-1 1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp baking powder
-3/4 tsp salt
-2 oz of 70% cacao chocolate
-1 cup of boiling water
-1 cup buttermilk
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-2 large eggs at room temp
-1/2 cup veg. oil
-1 1/4 cups sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line cupake pans. Sifter together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
2. Combine chopped chocolate and boiling water in a heat proof bowl. Stir and set aside for 15 min.
3. Mix buttermilk and vanilla in another bowl and set aside.
4. In a stand mixer, whisk eggs until foamy (about 2 min), add the oil slowly with mixer on low. Then beat on med speed until completely combined.
5.Reduce speed and add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. Then slowly pour in buttermilk mixture. Add the sugar and whisk on med until fully incorporated.
6. Slowly add the flour mixture with mixer on low. Mix on med speed for 5 sec. Scrape down sides and mix for about 10 secs on med high. Do not over mix!
7. pour into prepped liners until 2/3rds full. Sprinkle leftover graham cracker crumbs on top and bake. Check after 15 min.
Recipe for Boiled Icing here.
Garnishing and frosting:
-One pkg of graham crackers with large crumbs
-Hershey chocolate bars
1. Pipe a ring of frosting around the perimeter of the cupcake top. Press crumbs into frosting all along the edges.
2. Pipe to fill in the rest of the cupcake top in a circular motion.
3. Use a food torch to brown the outside of the frosting
4. Stick a Hershey square (2 pieces) in the middle.
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