Honestly, I have to say that this is one of the best things that has ever come out of my kitchen.
It was based on a s’mores cake that I saw on Hint of Vanilla that looked so drool worthy I just had to make my own version of it.
I decided my dad’s birthday would be the perfect occasion to do so, because as we learnt last week, he absolutely loves chocolate. And raspberries. And raspberries and chocolate together, so raspberries just had to feature as well.
The base of the cake is a salty-sweet-buttery graham mixture that I’ve recently fallen in love with. It’s a Momofuku recipe, and the addition of a few little extra ingredients (besides the typical cookie crumbs + butter) make this sooo much better than any other graham base I’ve ever had. Ever, ever.
Then the chocolate crémeux centre. Well. Chocolate crémeux has all the same ingredients and processes as a chocolate ice cream base. So even though it has the texture of a creamy, thick pudding or custard, it tastes just like a rich, decadent, chocolate ice cream. And raspberries get scattered onto the crémeux before it sets, too.
And then, the whole thing gets even more insanely good with a thick layer of fluffy, cloud-like Swiss meringue that gets piled on top and then torched.
Now imagine all those flavours and textures together: luscious, chocolate-ice-cream-like custard + salty, buttery, crumbly cookie base + refreshing, tart raspberries + the lightest, most dream-like, toasted marshmallow you’ve ever had. It’s just like whoa.
My dad, who wanted to make sure I told you all that I made this for his birthday, said it was the best cake he has ever had.
Huge slabs were cut and devoured, crumbs were licked off plates, and the last slices were fought over.
Please, do yourself a favour, and make this. It’s just so damn good. X
RASPBERRY S'MORES GATEAU
Ingredients
- FOR THE GRAHAM BASE
- 190g graham crackers or digestive biscuits
- 25g caster (superfine) sugar
- 20g milk powder
- 3g sea salt
- 55g unsalted butter, melted
- 55g cream
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE CRÉMEUX
- 465g cream
- 200g milk
- 135g caster (superfine) sugar
- 20g dutch cocoa powder
- 2g sea salt
- 135g egg yolks
- 250g dark chocolate, melted
- ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- FOR THE MERINGUE
- 100g egg white
- 150g caster (superfine) sugar
- Pinch sea salt
- 2g vanilla bean paste
Method
- Line a 9 inch pastry ring or springform tin with a strip of acetate and place on a flat tray lined with baking paper.
- To make the graham base, blitz the cookies in a food processor to make a fine crumb. Combine with the sugar, milk powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- Whisk the cream into the melted butter and add to the dry ingredients, mixing to combine.
- Press the graham crumb evenly into the base of the ring. Freeze.
- To make the chocolate cremeux, heat the cream and milk in a medium saucepan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yolks, sugar, cocoa and salt until combined and a little lighter.
- When the cream mixture is beginning to boil, pour it into the egg mixture in a slow and steady stream, while constantly whisking, until it is entirely combined.
- Return the crémeux to the pot and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture reaches 82 C (180 F).
- Pour the cooked crémeux through a fine mesh strainer back into the bowl. Add the melted chocolate and use a stick blender to emulsify the mixture.
- Place a piece of cling wrap on the surface of the crémeux and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Once the crémeux is cool, pour it onto the graham base and level with a small offset spatula. Top with the raspberries and return to the freezer for 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- To make the swiss meringue, put the egg whites, sugar, salt and vanilla bean in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk together. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and while constantly whisking slowly, heat to 60 C (140 F).
- Put the bowl on the stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and whip until the mixture is cool.
- Spread the meringue evenly over the chocolate crémeux mixture. Freeze for at least 2 hours.
- Remove the cake from the freezer about 4 hours before you want to serve it. Take off the pastry ring and the acetate and refrigerate.
- When serving, toast the top of the meringue with a blow torch and scatter over some raspberries (optional).
- Serves 10 - 12. Keep refrigerated.
- Happy baking!
Base adapted from Momofuku.
Chocolate crémeux adapted from Hint of Vanilla.