Triple stack marshmallow brownies

This is a recipe I’ve been trying to perfect for some time and it has gone through a number of permutations. It started out more like a s’mores with a biscuit base, then it ended up with a brownie bottom and a crumble top and after numerous attempts this is my favourite version. There’s something both childishly decadent about the chewy brownie (and I mean chewy, the addition of bread flour here is intentional to help complement the texture of the marshmallow) while the dark, rich topping gives this a little more sophistication! It’s best eaten the next day after it’s had a good chance to set.

Ingredients

• 7 ounces / 200g unsalted butter, melted
• 14 ounces / 400g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence
• 5¼ ounces / 150g plain flour
• 4½ ounces / 130g bread flour
• ¾ ounce / 25g cocoa
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 8¾ ounces / 250g white mini marshmallows
• 6 ounces / 175g dark chocolate chunks
• 6 ounces / 175g milk chocolate chunks
• 6¼ fluid ounces / 180ml double cream

Method

Line a 13×9 inch / 33x22cm baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F (160°C / 320°F fan).

In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and caster sugar with a large wooden spoon.

Add the eggs and vanilla essence and combine.

Sift the flours, cocoa and salt into the same bowl and continue to stir, bringing everything together in a smooth batter.

Pour into your prepared baking tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes (or until a tester comes out just most – you don’t want the cake to be completely baked as it’s still got a few minutes to go!)

Pour the marshmallows over the top and spread out in an even layer.  Return to the oven for 7 or 8 minutes, until the marshmallows are just starting to brown. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, place both chocolates and double cream into a bowl and in 30 seconds bursts, heat in the microwave, stirring after each blast until you have a smooth sauce-like consistency.

Pour over the top of the marshmallows and leave to cool and set completely.

Cut into small bars.

Trivia

Bread flour, also known as strong flour, or high-gluten flour, or hard flour, is milled from wheat with a high-gluten content has small amounts of malted barley flour, vitamin C or potassium bromate added. The barley flour helps the yeast to work while the other additives increase the elasticity of the gluten which helps it to retain air as the dough rises. Bread flour helps where you need a certain chewiness in the texture which is why it is used in pizza. High gluten wheat is produced in areas with a short hot and dry growing season. The higher the protein content shown on the packet (generally between 11-15%) the more gluten and the better the bread will rise. The higher-gluten types are often called very strong flour.