MALTED MALLOW S’MORES CAKE

PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS (+ COOLING & REFRIGERATION) SERVES 12

185g butter, chopped, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup (165g) firmly packed

brown sugar

½ cup (110g) caster sugar 3 eggs

1 cup (150g) plain flour ¾ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 200g un-iced malt biscuits ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk 1 tablespoon cornflour, to dust

MARSHMALLOW

2¼ cups (500g) caster sugar 1 cup (350g) liquid glucose ¾ cup (180ml) water

¼ cup (42g) powdered gelatine ¾ cup (180ml) water, extra 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

GANACHE

300ml pouring cream

500g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease two 20cm springform pans; line the bases and sides with baking paper.

2 Beat butter, extract and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Sift flour, baking powder and soda onto a sheet of baking paper.

3 Reserve 6 biscuits for decorating. Process remaining biscuits to fine crumbs; stir crumbs into flour mixture. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with buttermilk, in two batches. Divide mixture evenly between pans; smooth the surfaces.

4 Bake cakes for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Leave cakes in the pans for 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire racks covered with baking paper. Cool.

5 Wash and dry cake pans. Grease pans; line the bases and sides with baking paper. Dust a large oven tray with the cornflour.

6 Trim top of cakes to level, if needed. Place cakes, top-side down, into lined pans. Press down on cakes, to ensure they completely cover the base of the pan.

7 Make marshmallow. Pour a third of the marshmallow evenly on top of each cake in pans; refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Using two spoons, and working quickly before it sets, dollop remaining marshmallow onto cornfloured tray.

8 Make ganache.

9 Divide ganache between cake pans; smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until firm.

10 Remove the cakes from pans. Place one cake on a plate or stand; top with second cake. Using a kitchen blowtorch, lightly toast marshmallow on the tray. Decorate the top of the cake with reserved broken biscuits and toasted marshmallow.

MARSHMALLOW

Stir sugar, glucose and the water in a small saucepan over medium heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil; boil, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until syrup reaches 115°C on a sugar thermometer (or when a teaspoon of syrup is dropped into a cup of cold water, the syrup can be gathered up and rolled into a soft sticky ball). Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatine over the extra water in a medium heatproof bowl. Stand bowl in a large saucepan of simmering water; stir until gelatine dissolves. Transfer gelatine mixture to medium bowl of an electric mixer. With electric mixer operating on high speed, gradually pour hot syrup into gelatine mixture in a thin, steady stream, beating constantly for 5 minutes or until thick and fluffy. Beat in extract. Use immediately.

GANACHE

Heat cream in a small saucepan until almost boiling. Add chocolate; remove from heat. Stand for 2 minutes. Stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; cool for 20 minutes.