S'mores Cupcakes

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Chocolate Cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2/3 cup boiling water

Meringue Frosting

• 6 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the crust first:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
In a medium bow, mix together crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter until well blended and no dry crumbs remain.
Place 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each liner. Press the crumbs flat into the liner using the bottom of a small glass. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of chocolate over each crust. (Reserve remaining graham cracker crumbs and chopped chocolate to top the cupcakes before baking.)
Bake crusts for 8 minutes. Remove the pans and let crusts cool for at least 5 minutes before adding cupcake batter.

For the cupcakes:

After crusts are prepared, increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Then combine eggs, milk, oil and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add sugar and mix until combined. Then add flour mixture. Blend at low and then increase to medium. Beat for 2 minutes until blended and smooth. Remove bowl from stand and add boiling water. Gently stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Batter will be thin. Then let batter rest for 15 minutes and stir again gently before using. Fill liners with prepared crusts three-quarters full with batter. Sprinkle with reserved chocolate and graham cracker mixture. Bake about 16-20 minutes until done. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Make the meringue frosting:

Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water without letting the bottom of the bowl touch the water in the saucepan. Hold the handle of the bowl with an oven mitt while whisking the egg white mixture until the sugar is dissolved and the whites are hot to the touch… about 4 minutes. Then transfer bowl to the stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the mixture, starting on low and increasing to high speed. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form and the meringue has cooled, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vanilla and whisk just to combine. Use frosting immediately.
Place the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #867 star tip. I used a Wilton 4B tip. Pipe high swirls on the cupcakes and brown the meringue using a kitchen torch and serve immediately.