S’Mores Cucpakes

Summer has officially ended for this educator! One week ago today I was preparing to meet my new 4th grade class. I had worked out all the preparations and made sure my lesson plans were engaging, but nevertheless I had an enormous knot in my stomach wondering if my students were even going to like me. For the past 8 years I had always taught the younger grades…I knew how to win them over. All I had to do was give them a big hug and a smile and that was all it took. But for the life of me, I had no idea how I was going to win over a group of 25 4th graders. That is the hardest part you know. It’s not the curriculum or how you are going to teach something. That comes easy to me. It is the very beginning that is hard. It is finding the balance of “I think my teacher is cool” and “She is someone to pay attention to”.  Well, I did it! And all I had to be was myself. We are already on our way of forming a classroom family that will carry us through June. I can already say, I love my class!!

Anyway, back to the cupcakes! The kiddos and I made these this summer adapted via the browneyedbaker and they were fabulous! They wanted me to post them right away, but with school and all that comes with the beginning of it, my post has taken me awhile to get to. So here it is! The finale to a wonderful summer filled with gummy wummies, roller coasters, and Mario…thanks E and J! I will miss you this year!! xoxo

S’mores Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 1 hour | Bake Time: 25 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1-1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 ounces (1¼ cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
¼ cup honey
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream

For the Marshmallow Frosting:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (1 tablespoon)
1/3 cup plus ¼ cup cold water
1 cup granulated sugar

1 Hershey bar broken into 8 parts(for decoration)

1. Bake the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter, brown sugar and honey until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium; beat in the eggs and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

3. Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a thin knife inserted in the centers comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature, or frozen up to 1 month.

4. Make the Chocolate Ganache Glaze: Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds, or until the chocolate softens and starts to melt. Bring the cream to a full boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate. Working with a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.

5. Make the Marshmallow Frosting: In a mixing bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/3 cup cold water. Allow the gelatin to soften, about 5 minutes.

6. Heat the remaining ¼ cup water and the sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring; clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan. Boil the syrup until the temperature reaches the soft-ball stage (238 degrees F). Remove from heat; add the syrup to the softened gelatin. Whisk the mixture by  hand to cool, about 1 minute, then use an electric mixer to whisk on medium-high speed until soft, glossy (but not dry) peaks form, 8 to 10 minutes. (The frosting must be used immediately because it will harden.)

7. Assemble the Cupcakes: Spoon 2 teaspoon of the chocolate ganache glaze onto each cupcake. Fill a pastry bag with a large plain tip with marshmallow frosting; pipe frosting onto each cupcake, swirling the tip and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Top with graham cracker crumbs and a Hershey bar. Serve immediately.

(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes)