S'mores Cupcakes

I'm slightly addicted to watching Cupcake Wars. Every time I watch it I feel inspired to get in the kitchen and create my own cupcake concoctions. My mother rolls her eyes at me when I tell her I want to create my own desserts. She knows that I nearly always mess something up. But, hey, what's the fun in having everything go right? Am I right? 

I cant tell you how long I have been thinking about creating these cupcakes. I wanted to make them for the longest time but did not know how to execute them. Do I make a chocolate cake or a graham cake? Marshmallow frosting or a chocolate frosting? Do I put a chocolate filling in them or put toasted marshmallows in them? If you know me, you know I'm the most indecisive person ever...or at least I think you think I am...I'm not sure. So you know the delimia I was in when I couldn't decide on the perfect way to make a s'mores cupcake. Well, I finally decided on how I wanted to make them and I am definitely, 100% positive that I made the right decision.

Graham crackers kind of act as the base for a real s'mores, so I relayed this base into the cupcake by making the cake with graham crackers. If you've never made a graham cracker cake, prepare yourself. The smell of graham cracker cake cooking in the oven is intoxicating...maybe more so than cinnamon cooking in the oven (yet again, I can't decide.) The one problem I faced with using graham crackers in the cake batter though is that it resulted in a crumblier cupcake. It wasn't as moist as I anticipated. Don't let that keep you from making these. I wanted these to taste like a real s'mores, which required having toasted marshmallow and milk chocolate. There actually isn't that much chocolate in these cupcakes; just a drizzle over the cupcake. But it was perfect. I then filled it with some marshmallow fluff and topped it with some toasted marshmallows. I suggest eating these directly after toasting the marshmallows. Warm, gooey, and chocolatey s'mores...tastes like summer will be here soon.

Slightly adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers finely ground in processor)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup milk
- 8 ounces bittersweet (I used milk) chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff

- Mini or regular sized marshmallows for topping (about 2 cups)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

2. Whisk graham crumbs, flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in vanilla. Add graham-cracker mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with graham-cracker mixture. 

This batter looks a lot less than appealing...but don't let its appearance fool you. It tastes heavenly. I might have tried it.

4. Divide batter among muffin cups.

5. Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center come out clean, about 22 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack; cool completely. 

6. Place chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream just to boil in small saucepan; pour over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute; stir until smooth. Cool ganache until lukewarm.

  

7. Push apple corer about 1 inch into top of each cupcake; remove cake, forming hole. You can also use a spoon to scoop out the middle.

8. Spoon 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff into resealable plastic bag, pushing into 1 bottom corner. It's easiest if you put the bag in a cup then put in the filling. This will help keep the bag in place. Cut 1/2 inch off corner. 

9. Pipe into holes in cupcakes. Spread 2 teaspoons ganache over each cupcake.

10. Preheat broiler. Coat rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Place marshmallows on to sheet. Broil until slightly charred about 1 to 2 minutes. Top cupcakes with toasted marshmallows. I made little piles so I could place a pile on top of each cupcake.

How can you turn that down. 

S'mores Pizza

There are two reasons why I love Girl Scouts: 1. Girl Scout cookies & 2.Their invention of S'mores.(No, it's not a coincidence that the two things I love about Girl Scouts are their sweets). The one thing I might change about S'mores though is their name. Instead of the name coming from "some more," I would have named the graham cracker concoction closer to the lines of "can-I-eat-these-for-every-meal." And if calories were not a problem, I would gladly eat S'mores for every meal. One of the greatest things about the graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow treat is that it is versatile. You can make a S'mores pie that has a graham cracker crust, chocolate filling, and a marshmallow topping one day and then a an original S'mores the next day. Practically any dessert can be transformed into a S'mores dessert just by substituting the original recipe's ingredients with the ingredients that make up a S'more. Or if your like me, any food can be made into a S'mores.(I'm that obsessed with this dessert) A S'more's possibilities are endless! I took advantage of the versatile S'mores dessert when I made a S'mores pizza for family dessert. The end result was scrumptious, which was not surprising seeing as though it was S'mores.


Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup Coarsely Crumbled Graham Crackers
- 2 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp. Granulated Sugar
- 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1/4 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of salt
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 Roll of Sugar Cookie Dough
- 1 cup Mini Marshmallows
- 1 Cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips


Directions:
1. In a food processor, combine the crumbled graham crackers with the brown and granulated sugars and the butter, vanilla and salt. 
Process the mixture to fine crumbs.
                                 

2. Form the cookie dough into a ball and place in a 12-inch round 
pan. Roll out the cookie dough. 
3.Place the dough in the oven at 350 and bake for about 7 minutes, or until it starts to brown.
4. Remove cookie dough from oven and sprinkle with graham cracker mixture, chocolate chips and marshmallows. Adding or taking away toppings based on your wants.                      
5. Return the pizza to the oven and bake for 2 minutes. Then transfer (of not already on) pizza to top shelf and set the oven on broil. Bake until marshmallows are browned. 
6. Cut the pizza into wedges and serve right away. 

-Sarah-