I realize that summer is over, but s’mores should really be enjoyed all year-long. When I was a kid, I was not a fan of chocolate, therefore s’mores were never really my thing. All I really wanted were the toasted marshmallows, and the more crisp the better. I shutter to think about all the carcinogens I put into my body with toasted marshmallows. I loved burning the crap out of the marshmallows, eating off the burnt part with some melted marshmallow, then throwing the marshmallow back into the fire for another round, until there was no more marshmallow left. Now that was smart.

Fortunately I grew out of that stage, and now I just love s’mores – I like to get the marshmallow nice and toasted – but a lightly brown toasting is just perfect – then I put the marshmallow next to the chocolate, sandwiched around some graham crackers, and yummo! When Trophy Cupcakes first opened, I was enamored with the s’mores cupcake – that was until I found this recipe. Instead of a chocolate cupcake, this had a graham cupcakes – amazing!! I love the layer of ganache on top, and then the marshmallow cream – which of course I had to change-up a bit from the recipe printed in Bon Appetit. I just had to make the homemade stuff – it is too easy not to, and it is so much better tasting. So – if you are craving those s’mores, but don’t feel like lighting a fire in your back yard to enjoy them – here is your solution…I swear you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients

cupcakes

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers ground in processor)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole milk

ganache

1/2 cup (scant) heavy whipping cream

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

marshmallow frosting

2 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

12 1-inch pieces broken graham crackers (for garnish)

Preparation

cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk graham crumbs, flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. 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. Divide batter among muffin cups.

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

ganache

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.

marshmallow frosting

Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Combine the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, water, and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Set the bowl over the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.

With an electric mixer on high-speed, beat the mixture, still over the simmering water, until thick and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Serve this the day it is made as it becomes granular if it sits.

Push your thumb 1 inch into top of each cupcake; remove cake, forming hole. Spoon 3/4 cup marshmallow creme into resealable plastic bag, pushing into 1 bottom corner. Cut 1/2 inch off corner. Pipe into holes in cupcakes. Spread 2 teaspoons ganache over each cupcake.

DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Preheat broiler. Coar rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Spoon dollops of marshmallow creme on sheet. Broil until slightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon dollop of charred cremem over each cupcake; garnish with piece of graham cracker.

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