Gourmet S'more Pie with Chunky 'Nilla Wafer-Graham Cracker Crust, Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling, + a Toasted Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallow Topping

Look at me, being all crazy-like by talking about how spring is already here and what a glorious season it is... and then one week later, I'm on the summer bandwagon. But when a recipe, like this one, turns out so good that you can't stop eating it, well you just have to post it! S'mores are the absolute... the essential... the ultimate representation of what truly makes summer the best time season of the year. We have made a bunch of s'more inspired desserts, like this over-the-top s'mores layer cake or these gourmet s'more brownie bars, just to name a few. But this version easily takes the cake (or pie) for this summer sweet treat. There are are a few upgrades (because, well, I always like to put my own spin on every dish I make) and I think you'll love 'em just as much as we did! Now when talkin' s'mores, everybody and their grandma know the three necessary components... graham crackers, toasted marshmallows, + chocolate. Let's talk about the crust, baby. Don't get me wrong, I love a graham cracker crust just as much as the next guy, but I wanted a more toothsome + crunchy base to our filling. I know you're asking yourself, "How on earth is this crazy food blogger going to one of the best, classic pie crusts even better"? Well all the magic happens by simply adding in Vanilla Wafer Cookies. I have to insist that you don't pulverize the 'nilla cookies; you want them chunky and almost pebble-like in size. Add the cookie pebbles into a mixing bowl along with graham cracker crumbs (very fine, not chunky at all), a stick of melted browned butter, and a pinch of salt. So for all you naysayers out there upset about my minimal use of graham crackers... just chill a little bit, you will still get that iconic flavor + perfect texture in your crust. Press this mixture into a 9inch spring-form pan (like the one you use to make cheesecake) and work some of the crumbs up the sides until the whole-damn-thang is compacted in there. Okay it's onto the good stuff here, people. It's what y'all have all been waiting on... the espresso-infused brownie truffle filling. Yeah I know, I used so many delicious words to describe the chocolate middle layer. But it's all true, I found the so called "unicorn" of the culinary world. You can thank me later. Back to this crazy brownie filling, it has bittersweet chocolate, butter, dark cocoa powder, espresso powder, heavy cream, and Kahlua liqueur. Once your brownie filling is done + lusciously smooth, you're going to follow my lead and add in about a cup (or more if you're so inclined to do so) of some of those crunchy 'nilla wafer cookie pebbles right into the batter. This gives it a bit of crunch here + there, which I love because it's just like a little present every time you take a bite! After baking it just enough until it perfectly cooked with a semi-crackly top and a chocolate-like truffle filling, let it cool completely. Now, here on H+H, making homemade marshmallows is a top priority and one of my favorite things to whip up. So why not do it for the top of a gourmet s'more pie? This recipe makes a semi-thin layer to completely cover the brownie truffle filling, and that might be just enough for you, but it isn't for us. In the end, I decided to add a rim of good 'ole mini marshmallows (straight from the store). Not only did it give the pie a retro feel to it, but it doubled the ratio of amazing marshmallow goodness, and we all love the sound (and taste) of that. Before you get to toasting the top, you need to let the layer of marshmallow chill and firm up in the fridge. Guess what, you're essentially done, all you have to is melt, toast, or char (or all three) dem 'mallows until you've reached your favorite doneness. But unfortunately, this is start of that dreadful waiting game. As someone who has taken part of this mind game, you'll make it. I mean I did, long enough to tell the tale. All you gotta do next is slice up this masterpiece of a pie and completely inhale, all done respectfully of course. And just a quick trick for those who will be enjoying this gourmet s'more pie for a few days, you can make it taste exactly like the day you made it by heating it in the microwave until the marshmallow begins to melt and gets all-gooey-like. Don't forget because you will regret it!! Enjoy :)

For the Chunky ‘Nilla Cracker Crust:

4C Crushed ‘Nilla Water Cookies (make it a rough texture, for that perfect crisp crust)

10T Unsalted butter, Melted

½C Sugar

½t Kosher Salt

For the Chunk ‘Nilla Wafer-Graham Cracker Crust)

2C of the Chunky ‘Nilla Crust (already prepared above)

1C Graham Cracker Crumbs (pulverized into fine crumbs in a food processor)

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Melted

Generous Pinch of Kosher Salt

 

For the Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling:

2 eggs

¾C Granulated Sugar

½t-1t Kosher Salt

4.5oz of 72% Chocolate, Roughly Chopped

6T Unsalted Butter, Cut into Tabs

¼C Cake Flour

3T Dark Cocoa Powder

1T Espresso Powder

½C Heavy Cream + 2T Kahlua Liquor

1C of the Chunky ‘Nilla Wafer

For the Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallow:

1t Unflavored Gelatin

½C Cold Water (separated into two ¼C)

¾C Sugar

¼C Light Corn Syrup

¼t Vanilla Extract

1 Vanilla Bean Pod, Sliced & Scraped For Seeds 

1 Bag of Mini Marshmallows (optional)

Directions:

1. Beginning of the Crust: Preheat your to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed/chunky ‘Nilla wafer cookies, butter, sugar, and salt. Toss until everything is well incorporated. Set this aside until you are done with the graham cracker crumbs (and if you can wait, preferably 8-12 hours, so the cookies soak up all the butter). This batch of crunchy cookie piecrust yields enough for two pies; so you can save them for a rainy day baking project, press them into muffin tins for mini pies, or just some casual nibbling on the side. Also, make sure to save 1-2C of these vanilla wafer cookie crumbs to add into the brownie filling later on in the recipe.

2. Prepping of the Crust: While you wait for your ‘Nilla wafer crust cookies to soak up the butter and the granulated sugar has each piece nicely coated, place a sleeve of graham cracker cookies into a food processor and have become finely ground (almost like a thick sand). Keep doing this until you have reached 1C of graham cracker crumbs. If you don’t want to go through this process, no problem! Just go buy a box of store-bought graham cracker crumbs.

3. Finishing the Crust: Get out a 9-inch spring form pan (one that you use for a cheesecake) and spray heavily with Baking Pam Spray all around the edges. Combine the 2C crunchy ‘Nilla wafer cookies + 1C of the graham cookie sand together in a bowl. Now, like the crust couldn’t get any better, it’s time to add more butter (YESSSSSS, but shhh, don’t tell anyone). It’s totally worth every calorie. Press the ‘Nilla wafer + graham cracker cookie crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly, evenly, and firmly into the prepared spring form pan. Set this crust aside while you make the Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling.

4. For the Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling: Combine the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and gently melt them together on low for 30-50 second. Use a heatproof spatula to stir them together, working until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Combine the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip together 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy and pale yellow and has reached the ribbon state. Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Dump the chocolate mixture into the eggs and briefly mix together on low speed. Increase the speed to medium and paddle the mixture for 1 minute or until it is brown and completely homogenous. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and sift in the cake flour, dark cocoa powder, espresso powder, and a pinch of salt. Paddle this mixture on low speed for 45-60 seconds. There should not be any clumps, if there is, paddle it again for another 30 seconds. Stream in heavy cream + Kahlua on low speed for 30-45 seconds, just until the batter has loosened and the white streaks from the cream have fully mixed in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gently fold in the 1-2C of the chunky cookie crust (these crumbs add a little burst of flavor and texture into the pie filling).

5. Assembling the Pie: Pour the Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling into the base of the chunky ‘Nilla wafer-graham cracker crust. Smooth out the top of the brownies. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the edges begin to puff slightly, yet still remain jiggly in the center. Cool the pie completely before finishing it.

6. For the Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows: Make the marshmallow topping by adding ¼C to the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it stand firm, for about 1 minute or so. Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, a pinch of salt, remaining ¼C cold water, and 1 vanilla bean pod (sliced and scraped for seeds) in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the dissolved. Keep boiling this mixture until a candy thermometer registers at 260 degrees, roughly 6-8 minutes. Begin beating the gelatin mixture on medium speed, and then carefully pour the syrup in (make sure to keep pouring in a slow steady stream, while trying to avoid the paddle and sides of the bowl). Once all he syrup has been added, continue beating it on medium speed until the marshmallow fluff has tripled in volume. Add in the vanilla and beat it until it has just combined, and then immediately pour the marshmallow on top of the brownie filling. It should be loose enough to evenly spread itself, but if not, use a well-greased rubber spatula or spoon to help aide in the process.

7. Finishing the S’more Pie: Refrigerate the pie for 1 hour, uncovered, and then cover it with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated in Pam Spray. And again, return the pie to the refrigerator and let it chill for 3 more hours. After the long chilling process, preheat the broiler to its highest heat setting. Once the oven is extremely hot, remove the plastic wrap, place the pie onto a cookie sheet, and distribute small mini marshmallows in a circle around the outside edge of the pie. We really love marshmallows, so we wanted to add more and I also love the retro vibe it gives off. Carefully rotate the pie/sheet pan about 3-4inches from the flame until the top is perfectly golden brown and melty underneath. This can take about 3-5 minutes to reach that toasted-charred-marshmallow-goodness.

8. Serving the S’more Pie: Allow the pie to cool for about 10-15 minutes before slicing it. In order to get a good, clean slice, dip your knife into hot water and spray it with Baking Pam Spray. This helps to avoid making a mess and getting all sticky from the marshmallows. Enjoy while it is still warm!  Keep in mind that after you have had some of the pie and have a few slices left, it is still just a delicious a couple days later. Cut a slice, plop it into a microwave (about 30 seconds or so), and your pie will be a dense like a fudge brownie + on top you will have an extra ooey-gooey marshmallow waterfall flowing down the slice. UM YUM!

Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Cinnamon Butter-Bourbon Sweet Potato Filling, Homemade Mini Bourbon-Brown Butter Marshmallows, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble & Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel

Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Cinnamon Butter-Bourbon Sweet Potato Filling, Homemade Mini Bourbon-Brown Butter Marshmallows, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble & Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel 

In the South, casseroles are king. I personally am not a fan of cette casseroles, but during Thanksgiving, I will make a few exceptions. One being Peej's famous mashed potato casserole, the other being broccoli-rice casserole. However, another dish that everyone in the southern states love is Sweet Potato Casserole. We have never featured it at a Thanksgiving dinner before because our family tends to only like savory sweet potato dishes, but this year I wanted to try/make something new and that was what I was set on. The filling is pretty standard, but it is changed up slightly with the addition of pumpkin pecan butter (which you usually can purchase at Whole Foods, Fresh Market, or Williams Sonoma). Where this all gets really interesting is the topping... oh lordy, THOSE TOPPINGS. Let's start with the first component... the brown sugar-pecan streusel. This is the standard streusel that you will see on any good sweet potato casserole or even coffee cake. It's put on the casserole before all of the stuff, so it can bake and get nice and buttery and crunchy and all good, ya know? Well, after that has baked, you make strips of mini bourbon brown butter marshmallows and cinnamon toast crunch crumble. I toast the marshmallows with a kitchen torch until they are brown & melty. That's always a good sign when the ooey-gooey fluffy marshmallow drips off the side, always. As for the cinnamon toast crunch crumble, it is pre-baked (and pre-prepped before Thanksgiving, YAY), so it does not need to be put in the oven again. So after the torching is done, just pile on a heap of the crumble in between. My friends, you'll have a sugar coma waitin' on ya, that's confirmed. But it's okay, because you'll already be in a Thanksgiving coma anyway!! Enjoy :)

making homemade mini marshmallows

that are all light & fluffy

and flavored with BROWN BUTTER + BOURBON (boom).

some toasted, candied pecans make everything better

let the torching begin...

and continue... 

until it is melty & toasty marshmallow-y goodness

here's that yummy brown sugar-pecan streusel.

And the finished product. Sugar. Coma. Yes. 

For the Bourbon-Brown Butter Mini Marshmallows:

3 ½ Envelopes of Unflavored Gelatin

½C Cold Bourbon + ½C Cold Water

2C Granulated Sugar

½C Light Corn Syrup

¼t Salt

2 Large Egg Whites

1T Vanilla Extract

4oz Brown Butter, Melted & Room Temperature (plus more for drizzling on top) 

For the Homemade Cinnamon Butter:

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter Softened

3T Dark Brown Sugar

½t Vanilla

1T Cinnamon 

For the Cinnamon Butter-Bourbon Sweet Potato Filling:

3C Mashed Sweet Potatoes

11oz Pumpkin-Pecan Butter

¼C Sugar

½t Salt, Heaping

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

2T Bourbon

1t Vanilla

3 Eggs, Well Beaten

Prepared Cinnamon Butter, Softened to Room Temperature

For the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble:

2 ½C Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

¼C Milk Powder

1T Sugar

½t Kosher Salt

4 ½T Unsalted Butter, Melted

  

For the Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel:

1C Dark Brown Sugar, Packed

½C AP Flour

1C Toasted Pecans, Finely Chopped

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Melted & Browned

For the Topping:

Prepared Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble

Prepared Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel

Homemade Mini Brown Butter-Bourbon Marshmallows (store-bought can be substituted)

Directions:

1. To Make the Brown Butter-Bourbon Mini Marshmallows: Oil bottom and sides of a 13x9 rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners’ sugar. In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over ½C cold bourbon, and let stand to soften. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, cold water, salt, and brown butter over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 10-12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until fluffy, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla (or your choice of flavoring) into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out (learning from my mess of a first round). If you want swirl in some extra brown butter on top, and then sift ¼C confectioners sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours. Once chilled, cut into mini marshmallow cubes and toss them in powdered sugar until coated.

2. To Make the Cinnamon Butter: beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth, then slowly add in the cinnamon and beat until combined. Chill until ready to serve.

3. For the Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Bake the sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for about an hour. Once cooked & soft, mash them with a fork until as smooth as possible.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a medium-sized baking dish with Pam. Set it aside.

5. For the Sweet Potato Filling: Combine the sweet potatoes, pumpkin butter, sugar, salt, vanilla bean seeds, bourbon, eggs, and softened cinnamon butter. Beat the ingredients thoroughly with a hand mixer for about 3-4 minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato filling. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish.

6. For the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble: Heat the oven to 275 degrees and line a baking sheet with a Silpat. Pour the cinnamon toast crunch cereal into a mixing bowl and crush them with your hands to about a fourth of their original size. Add the milk powder, sugar, and salt and toss to mix. Add the butter and toss to coat. As you toss it, the butter will act as a binder, bringing the dry ingredients to the cereal and creating small clusters. Spread the clusters onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake it for 15-20 minutes, at which point they should look toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently when cooled. Cool the crumble completely before sprinkling them on top of the casserole.

7. For the Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel: Combine the brown sugar, flour, nuts, and butter in a mixing bowl. Toss until it is completely incorporated. Set it aside.

8. Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes, and then remove it from the oven and spread a thick layer of the Pumpkin-Pecan Butter on top of the sweet potatoes and brown-sugar pecan streusel. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Allow the dish to set for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with mini marshmallows and cinnamon toast crunch crumble. Using a kitchen torch, toast the marshmallows until brown and melty.

9. Enjoy it while it is still warm!!

Homemade Funfetti Cake Batter Marshmallows

Homemade Funfetti Cake Batter Marshmallows

Y'all, Summer is leaving us... Let's all take a collective sigh of sadness. But there's good news still because I have a recipe for homemade funfetti cake batter marshmallows. I mean, that screams Summer, don't it? These literally taste like a slice of cake, it'll blow your mind. So what do you do with these... well you make cake batter s'mores (YES SUMMER) and really-super-awesome toasted marshmallow cake batter milkshakes (to be posted next, yipee). I'm sure they would make pretty bomb-ass rice krispies treats, #amirite. Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. How do these taste like cake batter WITHOUT any cake mix? Epic (mind-blowing happening again). Well it starts with a special concoction of clear vanilla extract, butter extract, and almond extract... and one special SECRET ingredient. Iced Cake Vodka, y'all. Liquor in homemade marshmallows is amazing. Bourbon rocks, so does beer, but this takes the cake (quite literally). You have to have this vodka to make them what they are, so find it and keep it close to ya heart. Next on tha list, you gotta load it up with sprinkles, rainbow sprinkles. I made sure to say a HEAPING cup because I like a little extra on the side, and by a little I mean a lot. Get that straight. After the marshmallows are made, I tossed them in a mixture of sifted confectioners' sugar & white cake mix to dust 'em off. Then just devour. Immediately. Before Summer is over. GO HURRY. NOW!! Enjoy y'all :)

whipping 'em up + sprinkles are ready

Oh, they are gonna be so good!!

For the Marshmallows:

3 ½ Envelopes of Unflavored Gelatin

½C Cold Water

2C Sugar

¼t Salt

½C Iced Cake Vodka  

½C Light Corn Syrup

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

2 Large Egg Whites

1T Clear Vanilla Extract

1t Butter Extract & 1t Almond Extract

1C Rainbow Sprinkles (heaping)

For the Dusting:

1C Confectioners’ Sugar

½C White Cake Mix

Directions:

1. For the Marshmallows: Oil bottom and sides of a 13x9 rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners’ sugar. In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over ½C cold water, and let stand to soften. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, ½C of cold iced cake vodka, vanilla bean seeds, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 12 minutes.

2. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until fluffy, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and clear vanilla extract, butter extract, and almond extract into sugar mixture until just combined. Add in the rainbow sprinkles until mixed evenly throughout. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out (learning from my mess of a first round).

3. For Dusting: Sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cake mix evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours.

4. Finishing the Marshmallows: Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well here too.) Sift remaining cake mix-confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

"Momofuku Style" S'mores Layer Cake with Chocolate Fudge Cake, Malted Chocolate Cake Soak, Malted Fudge Sauce, Graham Ganache, Graham Cracker + Chocolate Milk Crumbs, Charred Marshmallows, & Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

"Momofuku Style" S'mores Layer Cake with Chocolate Fudge Cake, Malted Cake Soak, Malted Fudge Sauce, Graham Ganache, Graham Cracker + Chocolate Milk Crumbs, Charred Marshmallows, & Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

Hi. Let's all be best friends. 

Okay? Why, you ask, I know. Well, 

Please... just please.

Now, that we got that clear. It's because I don't want to type a lengthy description of today's post. 

That's so lazy of me right? BUTTTT, there's so many components. Wordless Wednesday Monday.

1. Chocolate Fudge Cake 

2. Malted Chocolate Cake Soak

3. Malted Fudge Sauce

4. Graham Ganache

5. Graham Cracker + Chocolate Milk Crumbs

6. Charred Marshmallows

7. Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

That's it. NBD (no big deal). Amirite (am I right)? Right. Make this for everyone you know, and you'll have more best friends than Kate Hudson. She's so likable right? Love her. She has to have a lot of best friends, I just know it. Anyway, perfect for the 4th of July... it screams "Americana". 'Merica, f**k yeah!! Enjoy :)

P.S. Are there any fellow bloggers out there that want to do a guest post? I would love to have some people write recipes for my blog, or vice-versa! Comment below if you would like too!!

For the Malted Chocolate Fudge Sauce:

2oz Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped

1C Chocolate Malt Ovaltine Powder

1t Sorghum Molasses

¼t Salt

2T Corn Syrup

¼C Sugar

½C Heavy Cream

For the Graham Cracker Milk Crumbs:

1 Sleeve of Graham Crackers, Roughly Crunched & Crumbled

½C Sugar

¼C Milk Powder

½tSalt

7T Melted Butter

  

For the Chocolate Milk Crumbs:

2/3C AP Flour

1t Cornstarch

½C Sugar

2/3C Unsweetened Dark Cocoa Powder 

1t Salt

6T Melted Butter

For the Chocolate Fudge Cake:

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

1 ½C Sugar

3 Eggs

½C Buttermilk

¼C Canola Oil

1t Vanilla Extract

3T Malted Chocolate Fudge Sauce (already prepared)

1 ¼C Cake Flour

½C Unsweetened Dark Cocoa Powder

1 ½t Baking Powder + Salt

     

For the Malted Chocolate Cake Soak:

¼C Milk

2T Malted Chocolate Ovaltine Powder

For the Graham Ganache:

1 ½C Graham Cracker Crumbs

¼C Milk Powder

2T Sugar

1t Salt (plus an extra pinch)

4T Melted Butter

¼C Heavy Cream

2/3C Milk (a little more may be needed for texture)

For the Toasted Marshmallow Frosting:

25 Large White Marshmallows, Toasted or Charred

1C Confectioners’ Sugar, Sifted

2 Sticks of Salted Butter, Room Temperature

1t Vanilla Extract

1 Jar of Marshmallow Crème

Directions:

1. For the Malted Chocolate Fudge Sauce: Combine the chocolate, Ovaltine powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the corn syrup, molasses, sugar, and heavy cream in a saucepan and stir occasionally while bringing to a boil over high heat. The moment it boils, pour it into the bowl containing the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute. Slowly begin to whisk the mixture, and then increase the vigor of your whisking, every 30 seconds, until it is glossy and silky-smooth. Set this aside until ready to use.

2. For the Graham Cracker Milk Crumbs: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees and line a pan with a Silpat, and set it aside. Pour the sleeve of graham crackers into a bowl and crush them with your hands until they are quarter of the original size. Add the milk powder, sugar, and salt, and then toss to mix. Add the butter and toss to coat. This will bind the ingredients together. Spread the clusters onto the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently. Cool completely.

3. For the Chocolate Crumbs: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a pan with a Silpat, and set it aside. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar, and salt, and then toss to mix. Add the butter and toss to coat. This will bind the ingredients together. Spread the clusters onto the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently (breaking them up gently throughout the cooking process). Cool completely. They will harden as they sit.

4. For the Chocolate Fudge Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and then prepare your three cake pans by lining them with parchment paper and spraying them with Pam. (either 8 or 9inch pans will work here, as long as you have a 6inch cake ring). Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitter with the paddle attachment and cream them together on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl, add in the eggs, and mix on medium-high heat for 2-3 more minutes. Scrape down the sides once more. On low speed, stream in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Increase to medium-high speed and paddle for 5 minutes, until the mixture is practically white, twice the size of your original fluffy mixture, and completely homogenous. Stop and scrape down again. Add the fudge sauce and mix on low speed until incorporated. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. On low speed, add the flour in and gently mix it until your batter comes together, about 1 minute. Scrape down and mix once again for 30 seconds to 1 minutes until the little lumps of flour are broken down. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans, evenly. Bake each layer for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center runs clean. Remove the cake pans from the oven and let them cool completely to room temperature (on a cooling rack). Once they have cooled, you need to invert them out of the pan onto a silpat or cutting board. Next, spray your 6inch cake ring with Pam and use it to cut out the cake center (think of it like a large cookie cutter). Repeat with the other cakes, you should have three perfectly round and trimmed cakes (there will be a lot of leftover cake, which means you get to share it or snack on them while you’re decorating). After cutting them, you need to refrigerate them overnight or partially freeze them for a few hours, so that they will be firm in consistency and will hold their shape when assembling the cake.

5. For the Malted Chocolate Cake Soak: Whisk together the milk and Ovaltine until Smooth. Brush this mixture over the cake layers to soak and make it extremely moist.

6. For the Graham Ganache: Toss the graham crumbs, milk powder, sugar, and salt with your hands in a bowl to evenly distribute the ingredients. Whisk the butter and heavy cream together. Add to the dry ingredients and distribute. Place the small clusters into a food processor. Pour the milk into the food processor, along with salt, and puree on medium speed until whipped and smooth. It will take anywhere from 1-5 minutes, depending on how good your machine is. Scrape down the sides to make sure it is completely homogenous. Layer this ganache immediately into the cake layers.

7. For the Toasted Marshmallow Frosting: Place marshmallows on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place on lower rack of oven, and broil marshmallows until nice and brown on top, between 30-60 seconds. Remove pan from oven and gently turn the marshmallows over, and broil until they are golden brown (be sure to keep an eye on them, they burn very quickly). In an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter and icing sugar on low until blended, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and mix on med-high for about 3 minutes. Add marshmallow cream and toasted marshmallows, and mix on lowest setting for about 1 minute. Char some extra marshmallows to layer in between the layers of cake.

8. Assembling the Cake:This cake could easily be assembled any which way you like, but I decided to make it based off of the famous technique used by Momofuku Milk Bar. This requires a 6inch cake ring, strips of acetate, and pastry frosting bags. Since you have already cut the three cake layers with the 6inch cake ring, those no longer need to be trimmed. But, you will need to prep the cake ring for perfect layering. Place the cake ring onto your serving plate and line it with the acetate. Put one of the layers of cake into the ring; brush on some of the Ovaltine milk mixture (soak it good). Spread some of the graham ganache in an even layer. Sprinkle about 1C each of the prepared graham cracker and chocolate milk crumbs over the gooey butter topping, make sure to gently press the crumbs into the ganache, so the layers will mesh together (or a little more or a little less of the milk crumbs, it doesn’t have to be exact). Either using a pastry frosting bag or a large rubber spatula, add a third of the toasted marshmallow frosting on top of the milk crumbs and smooth it out over the crumbs until they are all completely covered. Top with some charred marshmallows as well. Garnish the frosting with a drizzle of malted chocolate fudge sauce. Repeat this layering process until all the ingredients have been used (you should have 3 chocolate fudge cake layers, 3 layers of milk crumbs, and 3 layers of graham ganache, toasted marshmallow frosting, and charred marshmallows). You can garnish the cake any way you like, but I just made a mound of more crumbs & fudge sauce drizzle. Transfer the tall, layered, assembled cake into the freezer and let it chill for 12 hours (keep the cake in the cake ring and lined with the acetate for the freezing process). At least 3 hours before you want to serve the cake, remove it from the freezer and pop it out of the ring and gently peel off the acetate liner. Let it defrost in the refrigerator for at least four hours. Slice the cake into wedges and serve immediately.