Edd Kimber's S'mores Cake

Go on, leave them wanting s'more.

45 minutes prep

2 hours cook

Chris Cahill

Ingredients

Wholemeal Brown Butter Cake

225 gUnsalted Butter (diced)

265 gCaster Sugar

150 gPlain Flour

150 gWholemeal Flour

2 1/4 tspBaking Powder

1/2 tspBicarbonate of Soda

1/2 tspFine Sea Salt

3 Large Eggs

120 mlButtermilk

1 tspVanilla Extract

Brown Butter Milk Chocolate Ganache

125 gUnsalted Butter (diced)

300 gMilk Chocolate

300 mlWhipping Cream

Pinch Flaked Sea Salt

Burnt Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2 Large Eggs

150 gCaster Sugar

Large Pinch Fine Sea Salt

240 gUnsalted Butter

1 tspVanilla Bean Paste

A nostalgic classic of graham crackers (or digestives for our fellow Brits), marshmallow and chocolate, s’mores are pure campfire comfort and a toasty, almost smoky, treat. Getting that flavour into a cake isn’t hard but it does involves fire, well, a blowtorch at least. This one was filmed exclusively as part of Twisted's Cookbook Club, to celebrate Edd's new book, Chocolate Baking.

Method

For the ganache, add the butter to a small saucepan, place it over a medium heat and cook until browned. The butter will first bubble and splatter as the water cooks out. Once the noise reduces and the butter starts to foam, watch for the milk solids to become separated out, little brown flecks, as this is when the butter has browned. Pour into a small heatproof bowl and refrigerate until thick and spreadable but not fully solid, 30–60 minutes.

To make the ganache, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt (see page 26). Place the cream and salt in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, then pour a third over the chocolate and stir to combine. Mix in the remaining cream, in two additions, stirring until a smooth and glossy ganache is formed, then add the browned butter and stir until thoroughly combined. Finish with a short blend using a stick blender, to ensure the ganache is thoroughly emulsified. Cover and set aside, at room temperature, for 2–3 hours or until thick and spreadable.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan (350˚F). Lightly grease two 20 cm (8 in) round cake tins (pans) and line each base with a disc of baking parchment.

To make the cake, put the butter in a saucepan, place over a medium heat and cook until browned, following the instructions above, then pour into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, whisking to combine. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Sift the flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter mixture, whisking until fully combined before adding the next. Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients and whisk briefly, just until a smooth batter is formed.