Tonight I made s'mores cupcakes. They are tiny but packed with big chocolate and marshmallow flavor! I can't take credit for this idea. I actually saw a version of these online, though I tweaked them a bit and used my own recipe. These were easy and fun!
They are my own Midnight Mini-Cupcakes (a really dark cake - so good!), filled with marshmallow fluff and topped with dark chocolate ganache, crumbled graham crackers, and a toasted mini-marshmallow. The toasted marshmallow is my favorite part! Check out the inside.
The only thing I would do differently next time is that I would put in more graham cracker. Rebecca (for those of you who don't know, that's my Dad's wife) suggested putting some cupcake batter in the liner, then a little square of graham cracker, then the rest of the batter. Excellent idea! I wish I had thought of that! I will be sure to try that next time, because it does need a little more of the graham flavor in there.
I can't share the actual cupcake recipe with you now because I've submitted it to a contest. (Wish me luck!) But later on, I will be able to share it with you all. For now, pick your favorite chocolate cake/cupcake recipe and make yourself some mini-cupcakes! I used a basic ganache (2 parts dark chocolate to 2 parts cream, by weight - let me know if you'd like a more detailed recipe) and store-bought graham crackers. I toasted the mini-marshmallows by putting them on the end of a toothpick and holding them over the flame of one of my gas burners.
Enjoy!
This sounds yummy as is, but your desire for more graham cracker in it got me to thinking. Good grief, I woke up this morning thinking about these. I'm not even a big baker in our family, my Mom and 2 sisters are. My early morning 'bright' ideas (I actually remembered some of them) included what ifs like - making a graham cracker crust for these (like the pie crusts), probably easier if a bar or direct in tins but would they come out in one piece and would there be a difference if you prebaked the crust or not; using a round cookie cutter to cut the crackers (ha ha), making a base to put in the cupcake liner (reminds me of the vanilla wafers used for mini cheesecakes) but would that be too crumbly; filling the gc maker's hotline with requests for them to make the crackers round (good snack size, useful in cupcake recipes, etc); or even adding crumbled cracker on the bottom also, before filling... What do you think?
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the contest, can't wait to see the recipe!
I forget what you said ganache is, maybe you can add definitions, like a quick reference, in the right sidebar column for forgetful people like me! : )
A woman after my own heart, Pati - waking up thinking about baking! :) Those are good ideas for getting in more graham cracker flavor. I especially like the graham cracker crust-type bottom. I think it might work to bake it right into the cups and would probably be tasty. I've never tried to make that type of crust in a paper, though. The crumbled cracker at the bottom would probably be easier. I'll have to try it!
ReplyDeleteGood idea about a sidebar, too. Not sure how to do that, but I will try to figure it out! For now, ganache is just two parts chocolate by weight to one part heavy cream by weight. So, to make a batch, you might take 4 ounces of heavy cream and heat it over low on the stovetop. When it is steamy, add 8 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped, to the hot cream and remove it from the heat. Let the chocolate melt there for a minute, then whisk it in until the mixture is smooth. You can let it sit for a little bit to thicken it up to spreading consistency. If you like it thinner (to pour), just use a little more cream (like a 1:1 ratio). If you use white chocolate or milk chocolate, use a 3:1 ratio for spreading consistency, like frosting. Basically, ganache is a fancy word for chocolate sauce made with just chocolate and cream. It's much better with a high-quality chocolate. It's yummy! I hope that helps!
LIKE, oh right this isn't facebook. Sounds simple and like good stuff for ice cream too, or icing on graham crackers.... I'm lazy : )
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading the Aug issue of Cuisine at Home mag, they had a s'more cupcake recipe. Their only chocolate and marshmallow was the chocolate ganache and marshmallow cream dallop they put on top. They looked interesting but not as tasty as yours looks! For us chocoholics, yours would win hands down, even without seeing your recipe or tasting it yet!! : )
ReplyDeleteThey had an interesting idea tho of replacing most of the flour with powdered graham crackers (1 1/2c gc + 1/2c flour) but they said the flavor was still "elusive" until they added a tablespoon of molasses which really brought it out. I'm not suggesting you do this, your cupcakes probably wouldn't be the same! Just passing on info that even when trying to add more graham cracker to the batter, the flavor of it may not be there. I like that you have the crushed gcracker on top, you see it, feel the texture and taste it, even if a small amount, and you know it's a s'more cupcake, with the accent on chocolate & marshmallow! Ok, I'm going to have to make some microwave s'mores now, I'm almost drooling.