s’mores

A s’more traditionally consists of a roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two cookies. Meet LOLA’S s’mores cupcake: a real feel-good indulgence!

• 120 g/4 oz. digestive biscuits/graham crackers (about 8 altogether), crushed, plus extra to decorate
• 2½ tablespoons butter, melted
• 150 g/1 cup plus 3 tablespoons plain/ all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 180 g/1 stick plus 5 tablespoons butter, cubed and soft
• 150 g/¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 150 ml/⅔ cup milk
• 12 squares of milk chocolate
• dark chocolate, melted, to decorate

MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

• 180 g/1 scant cup (caster) sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases

sugar thermometer

Makes 12

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/ Gas 4.

Mix three quarters of the crushed digestive biscuits/graham crackers with the melted butter. Place 1 teaspoon of this into each muffin case – enough to cover the base of the case.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the remaining biscuit/cracker crumbs and mix well.

Put the cubed butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Pour in one third of the dry ingredients and beat on low speed. Add half the milk and beat well. Repeat this process, then finish with the last third of the dry ingredients.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the marshmallow frosting.

Put the sugar, cream of tartar and 100 ml/⅓ cup water in a saucepan and mix well. Heat until the sugar has dissolved and a sugar thermometer in the mixture reads 115˚C/242˚F.

Meanwhile, in a separate, grease-free heatproof bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Pour a thin, slow stream of the sugar syrup into the egg whites, whisking constantly, until the frosting stands in peaks. Make sure the syrup goes straight into the egg whites and doesn’t hit the beaters otherwise sugar crystals will form. Stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm enough to pipe.

Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula, or spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle/tip and pipe it on top of the cupcakes. Pour some crushed biscuits/ crackers into a saucer and roll the edge of each cupcake in the crumbs to coat. Top with a square of milk chocolate and drizzle with melted chocolate.