S’mores the merrier

Campers’ favourite fi reside treat turns into a multi-layered masterpiece!

SERVES 12 PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS

185g butter, softened 1 tsp vanilla extract ¾ cup brown sugar, fi rmly packed ½ cup caster sugar 3 eggs 1 cup plain fl our ¾ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 200g malt biscuits ¾ cup buttermilk 1 tbsp cornfl our MARSHMALLOW 2 ¼ cups caster sugar 1 cup liquid glucose ¾ cup water, plus ¾ cup extra ¼ cup powdered gelatine 1 tbsp vanilla extract GANACHE 300ml cream 500g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely

1Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease two 20cm springform pans. Line bases and sides with baking paper.

2Beat butter, vanilla and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fl uff y. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Sift fl our, baking powder and soda onto a sheet of baking paper.

3Reserve 6 biscuits for decorating. Process remaining biscuits to fi ne crumbs. Stir crumbs into fl our mixture. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with buttermilk, in two batches. Divide mixture evenly between pans. Smooth the surface. 4Bake cakes for 25 minutes or until skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Leave cakes in pans for 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire racks covered with baking paper. Cool.

5Wash and dry cake pans. Grease pans, line bases and sides with baking paper. Dust a large oven tray with cornfl our.

6Trim top of cakes to level, if needed. Place cakes, top-side down, into lined pans. Press down on cakes to ensure they completely cover base of pan.

To make marshmallow, stir sugar, glucose and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until syrup reaches 115°C on sugar thermometer (or when tsp of syrup is dropped into cup of cold water, syrup can be gathered up and rolled into soft sticky ball). Sprinkle gelatine over the extra water in a medium heatproof bowl. Stand bowl in a large saucepan of simmering water, stirring until gelatine dissolves. Transfer gelatine mixture to a medium bowl of electric mixer. With electric mixer operating on high speed, gradually pour hot syrup into gelatine mixture in a thin steady stream, beating constantly for 5 minutes or until thick and fl uff y. Beat in vanilla. Use immediately.

8Pour one-third of the marshmallow evenly on top of each cake in pans. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Using two spoons, working quickly before it sets, dollop the remaining marshmallow onto cornfl oured tray.

9To make ganache, heat cream in a small saucepan until almost boiling. Add chocolate. Remove from heat and stand for 2 minutes. Stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cool for 20 minutes. Divide ganache between cake pans, smoothing the surface. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until fi rm. 10 Remove cakes from pans. Place one cake on plate or stand. Top with the second cake. Using a kitchen blowtorch, lightly toast marshmallows on tray. Decorate top of cake with the reserved biscuits and toasted marshmallows.

Origins

An American campfi re treat made by toasting marshmallows on the fi re, then sandwiching them with a piece of chocolate in between two wheat-based biscuits.

Mallow maker

Tip

Dust knife with cornfl our before cutting marshmallow to stop it sticking. Cake is best made on the day of serving.

Dissolve sugar, glucose and water. Bring to the boil without stirring until it reaches 115°C on sugar thermometer.