Spooky Spiderweb Smores Cupcakes
Spooky spiderweb smores cupcakes. A Halloween treat for all ages with digestives, marshmallow and chocolate!
Ingredients
Sponge
- 80 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 280 g caster sugar
- 240 g plain flour
- 60 g digestive biscuits finely ground (about 4)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 240 ml whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Ganache
- 100 g dark chocolate about 70% cocoa solids
- 1 tsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 50 ml double cream
Marshmallow Topping
- 125 g caster sugar
- 75 g golden syrup
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Decoration
- 150 g dark chocolate about 70% cocoa solids
- 150 g mini marshmallows
Instructions
- For the cupcakes: Firstly, preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas Mark 5 and place 12 cupcakes cases into a cupcake tin. In a large bowl slowly beat together the butter, sugar, flour, digestives, baking powder and salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. In a jug mix together the milk, vanilla extract and eggs. Pour three-quarters of the mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well until fully incorporated. Add the rest of the liquid mixture, and beat until smooth.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake cases, up to two-thirds full. Then bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and they are springy to touch. Place cupcakes on a cooling rack to cool completely until filling and decoration.
- For the ganache filling: Break up the chocolate into small pieces and place in a pyrex bowl. Heat the butter and cream in a small saucepan, until hot but not boiling. Then pour over the chocolate, leave for a minute and then stir to form a smooth ganache. Place in the fridge to chill for around 30 minutes, until the ganache is firm and scoop-able.
- For the marshmallow topping: Put the sugar, golden syrup and two tablespoons of water into a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Place over a medium heat and without stirring heat until you reach the soft-ball stage (118C). If you don't have a candy thermometer, the bubbles will begin to stick together and the syrup will run in a stream off a spatula. Remove the pan from the heat.
- In a pyrex bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand whisk until soft peaks form. Then with the whisk on low, carefully pour in the hot syrup. Once all incorporated, whisk on a high speed until the mixture becomes thick and glossy and the sides of the bowl return to room temperature. Add the vanilla extract and whisk to incorporate one more time. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with the tip cut off, whilst still slightly warm as its easier to pipe.
- To assemble: Using a sharp knife cut a shallow cone shape out of each cupcake and fill the holes with ganache. Replace the cone shapes onto each cupcake like a hat. Then pipe a round of marshmallow onto each, ending in a point. It should look like a meringue kiss. Then put the cupcakes into the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up, whilst you melt the chocolate for decoration.
- For the decoration: Using a bain-marie (place a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the water doesn't touch the base of the bowl), melt the chocolate. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then dip the cupcakes upside down into the melted chocolate, so only the marshmallow is submerged. It will look like you've added a 'hat' to the marshmallow. Leave to set at room temperature.
- Finally, using a bain-marie again melt the mini-marshmallows with 2 tablespoons of water stirring constantly. Once melted take off the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes, until it is cool enough to touch but not too firm. Stretch the melted marshmallows between your fingers to achieve the stringy effect, and drape over each cupcake as desired.
Notes
Smore's cupcake recipe adapted from Martha Collinson's Twist.