FINGER LICKIN' FRIDAY





Ell's CMBs

I love making marshmallow. It's messy, sweet, fun and sticky. Making S'mores has been on the agenda for a while now, but since I live in an apartment and am unable to toast the marshmallow over an open fire, I decided to create my own version of the American classic. Introducing, my CMBs, alternatively (and lengthily) known as my very own choc-marshmallow-biccies. The CMB is reminiscent of the classic Aussie Wagon Wheel, less the jam, and differs from the cinnamon-spiced graham cracker of a S'more in that the CMB is held together by a wonderfully toasty brown sugar biscuit. I had the best fun creating my CMBs, though I must caution that one is never enough. 


What you'll need:
Brown sugar biscuits:
180g butter, melted
170g brown sugar
2 eggs
440g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Marshmallows:
1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons powdered gelatine
230g glucose syrup
330g caster sugar
1/2 cup water
Scraped seeds of one vanilla bean
Candy/kitchen thermometer
Icing sugar

Chocolate ganache:
200g milk chocolate
4 tablespoons thickened cream

What to do:
Start by making the marshmallow. Line the base and sides of a large baking dish with non-stick paper. Grease the paper using oil or butter. Grease another sheet of non-stick paper (to be used as a lid,) and set aside.

Place the hot water and gelatine into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low speed until combined.

Place the glucose syrup, sugar, water and vanilla into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture comes to the boil. Once boiling, stop stirring and allow the mixture to reach 115˚C. Turn off the heat and remove the thermometer using a tea towel or oven mitt as it will be hot!

Turn the electric mixer onto a medium-high speed and add the hot sugar mix in a steady stream. Add the vanilla bean. Continue to beat the mixture for 5-7 minutes or until thick, glossy and sticky.

Working quickly, pour the marshmallow into your prepared dish. Use a spatula to scrape all the marshmallow from the bowl, and spread it out in the dish. Place the extra sheet of greased paper on top of the marshmallow and use your hands to push the mixture from the middle of the dish out to the edges and into the corners. Ensure the mixture is spread out and flattened evenly, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until set.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Mix the butter, sugar and vanilla together. Mix in the eggs. Add the flour and baking powder and mix well. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a couple of minute or until smooth. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180˚C.

Place the chilled dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out to a 5mm thickness. Use a cookie cutter that is no bigger than ******, to cut desired shape out of the rolled dough and place onto a baking tray. Bake biscuits for 8-10 minutes or until golden, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the chocolate ganache, melt the chocolate and cream together - 1 minute in the microwave, stirring after 30 seconds, should do it. Stir to combine, until you have a glossy mixture. Allow to cool at room temperature so that it is thick enough to spread.

Remove the marshmallow slab from the fridge and peel away the top sheet of paper. Flip slab onto a cutting board dusted with icing sugar, and remove the base sheet of baking paper. Dust all over with icing sugar. To cut the marshmallow, use the same cookie cutter you used for the biscuits and have a bowl of hot water with you. Dip the cutter into the hot water, and then cut your first marshmallow, starting right at the edges of the slab. Keep cutting until you can't get any more shapes from your marshmallow slab.

To assemble, spread a teaspoon of ganache over one biscuit and place a marshmallow on top. Put a dab of ganache on the marshmallow and place another biscuit on top. Repeat until you have used up all of the marshmallows or biscuits. Dust lightly with icing sugar and enjoy!