In search of a dessert for a dinner party that I had last week, I came across a recipe for “S’mores Cupcakes”. If you know me, you know that I am a way better cook than I am a baker. These little darlings were a bit more complicated than I like to attempt, but my gal pal, Diana, had made them for a group and everyone oohed and aahed so much that I decided to give them a try. First you bake a layer of graham cracker crusts topped with chopped chocolate in the bottom of the cupcake liners. Then you pour in a really rich, dark chocolate batter and bake again. But the BEST PART is the mile-high topping of marshmallowy meringue frosting. It’s yummy and gorgeous.
To make the S’mores cupcakes as authentic as possible you toast the top of the frosting to scorch the edges. I used a kitchen torch to do the job and it worked just perfectly. This little flame thrower does a bunch more than caramelize the top of decadent crème brûlée. Use it to scorch tomato skins for roasted tomato salsa. For a super brunch treat sprinkle sugar on the top of a grapefruit half and torch to caramelize. You can use it to brown the cheese on top of your gratin or to toast your marshmallows when you’re lacking an outdoor campfire.
The best kitchen gadget is one that is used often. Do you have a special use for your brûlée torch?
