National S'mores Day: S'mores Recipe Round-Up

S'mores Pops

Today is National S'mores Day, and there's a lot to celebrate! S'mores are made by sandwiching a toasted marshmallow and a piece of chocolate in between two graham crackers and heating the whole 'sandwich' over the campfire or grill.

The name S'mores (alternatively Smores) comes from the two words "some more," because everyone always want s'more. This American treat was developed by the Girl Scouts in the early part of the 20th century, making use of the newly mass-produced marshmallow. Marshmallows were easy to transport, as were candy bars and graham crackers, and the marshmallows could be toasted over a fire to make a fabulous campfire treat in a situation where other types of sweets would have been difficult to come by. Of course, the quality of the chocolate and marshmallow, and even the graham crackers (if you make your own) will vary, but S'mores aren't about haute cuisine, at least not in my house.

The true origin of the snack is unknown, as camping recipes were passed from family to family - often over the campfire itself. The  first printed record of the recipe was in 1927 in a girl scout manual "Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts".  Read more HERE.

The Original 1927 Girl Scout Recipe for S'mores

Some More:
8 sticks (for toasting the marshmallows)
16 graham crackers
8 bars plain chocolate (any of the good plain brands, broken in two)
16 marshmallows

Toast two marshmallows over the coals to a crisp gooey state and then put them inside a graham cracker and chocolate bar sandwich. The heat of the marshmallow between the halves of chocolate bar will melt the chocolate a bit. Though it tastes like "some more" one is really enough.

I have a Round-Up of S'mores Recipes at the end of this post, but I wanted to post another fun recipe. Maybe you've already tried this on your own. Let's face it, S'mores are pretty versatile!

One of the newest ballpark foods at AT&T Park (Go, Giants!) is the S'mores Sandwich. This ooey-gooey delight is an excellent way to eat your s'mores. Marshmallows and Ghirardelli chocolate are sandwiched between two pieces of fresh buttered bread and grilled. Yum! The closest I've been able to come up with a recipe to match this treat. I love using my Panini Press! Depending on the bread, chocolate and marshmallows, you'll have a lot of variety in this easy recipe! 

S'mores Panini 

Ingredients

Sweet butter, room temperature
4 slices sourdough (or buttermilk bread)
8  large marshmallows (or 1/2 cup marshmallow creme)
2 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips or 3 ounces dark chocolate, broken

Directions

Butter one side of the bread.
Place 2 slices on a plate, buttered side down.
Put 4 marshmallows on each piece of bread--(or divide marshmallow creme among bread slices, spreading evenly and leaving a 1-inch border).
Sprinkle chocolate chips or broken chocolate pieces over marshmallows, dividing equally (leave an inch margin if you can).
Cover with remaining bread, buttered side up, pressing slightly.
Preheat panini press to 375 degrees.
Put sandwiches on press; close press.
Cook sandwiches until golden brown and heated through, about 3 minutes.
Transfer to a work surface. Cool for 1 minute.
Cut in half and serve.

And in celebration of National S'mores Day, here's a Round-up of Recipes for S'mores that I've shared here on DyingforChocolate.com over the years. 

Traditional S'mores on the Grill

S'mores Brownies using a Brownie Mix

Brownie S'mores from Scratch

S'mores Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookie S'mores (2 recipes)

Chewy S'mores Bar Cookies

S'mores Pie 

S'mores Ice Cream Sandwich

S'mores Ice Cream Pie

S'mores in the Microwave

Wacky Candy Bar S'Mores 

Peanut Butter S'mores  

S'mores on a Stick (S'mores Pops)

Want to drink your S'mores? 

Make a S'mores Martini! Two recipes

Novelty S'mores Recipe: 

S'mores Keyboard 

Girl Scout S'mores Merit Badges

S'mores Pops: S'mores on a Stick

I was invited to a Garden Party this past weekend, and although I wasn't asked, I wanted to bring something chocolate. It was a hot day, and not being sure if a grill would be involved with the meal planning, I opted for S'mores Pops! Less mess, no grilling, and oh so tasty.  Perfect way to end the meal.

S'MORES POPS

Ingredients:
Marshmallows (didn't have time to make my own)
Chocolate ( I used several squares of Guittard Milk Chocolate 38%. Fab!)
Graham Cracker (again, not home-made) crumbs  (Crumb the graham crackers by putting them in a plastic bag and using a rolling pin.)
Lollipop sticks (I use blunt sticks. Safer than skewers)

Directions:
Melt the chocolate in the top of a double-boiler. (I added a tiny bit of oil to keep it the right consistency. Also since I made a lot of pops, I had to reheat and re-whip.)
Put marshmallow on a stick and dip (swirl) in the chocolate, coating almost all of the marshmallow.
Put graham cracker crumbs in bowl and spoon crumbs over the chocolate covered marshmallow. (I found that easier than dipping.)
Place S'mores Pop on cookie tray covered with wax paper.
Repeat.
Put S'mores Pops in refrigerator for a few hours to harden.

Since I wasn't sure exactly how many people were coming to the garden party, I made a few dozen. I placed them in several low clear jars, tied a ribbon, and they were good to go. And, since it was a very hot day, I put them in the hosts' winecellar to keep until the end of the day. I live in California, so that wasn't a problem. If it's hot where you are, stick them back in the refrigerator until ready to serve. But you will want to bring them to room temperature, if possible.

Extra: You can always brush any exposed marshmallow with a flame for more 'authenticity'. I didn't do that fearing the milk chocolate would melt.

These are also fabulous with dark chocolate. Experiment.

S'mores: Candy Bars & Truffles

Yesterday I posted a S'mores Round-up of Recipes for the Memorial Day grilling weekend. The recipes run the gamut from Traditional to Pies to Ice Cream. Since May is National Candy Month, I thought I'd post a few ready made S'mores Candy Bars and links and recipes to S'mores Candy you can make your own.

Hershey's, the classic candy bar in the original S'mores, actually introduced a S'mores Candy Bar in 2003. The bar had a layer of graham cracker bits topped with marshmallow and coated with milk chocolate. The S'mores bar was discontinued. When it was introduced, there was a a Cooler promotion. Collect 9 box tabs and get a 12-pack Soft Cooler.. after all you're going to need it when you go camping and don't make your own s'mores.. or maybe you were meant to melt the ready made candy bars? I don't think so. :-)

Madyson's Marshmallows has its own giant hand-made Smores Candy Bar for sale on etsy.
"Bite into this delicious chocolate bar and you'll find crunchy graham crackers and our sweet, fluffy gourmet marshmallow piped right in between two layers of a very fine dark chocolate!At just over 6 ounces of sweet heaven, you will surely delight someone with this giant dark chocolate Smore's bar."

Want to make your own S'mores Candy Bars? NotSoHumblePie has a recipe for S'mores Chocolate Bars. You'll need a chocolate bar pan, but it's worth it! Yum!!

S'mores Marshmallow Chocolate Balls Candy
 These are available from several bulk chocolate places.  Copy reads:

"No need for a campfire to enjoy this twist on a classic favorite.... soft and fluffy marshmallow balls are coated in decadent milk chocolate and then rolled into crumbled graham crackers to create the ultimate taste sensation!"


 ***
And, since I'm a big truffles fan, try this S'mores Truffles recipe from the fabulous Elizabeth LaBau on about.com. Be sure and check out her other S'mores recipes, too. Isn't it amazing how versatile these three ingredients are? 

If you want a more graham cracker flavor, stir a handful of coarsely crushed crackers into the ganache itself. The truffles won’t have a smooth, creamy texture, but they’ll have a greater graham taste and an interesting crunch. As always, the quality of the truffles dependson the quality of the chocolate you use, so be sure to use a good-quality chocolate you enjoy eating. This recipe yields about 2 dozen truffles.

S'mores Truffles 

Ingredients:
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (about 1.25 cups)
2/3 cup cream
4 graham cracker sheets
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Directions:
1. Prepare your materials: line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. Crush the graham crackers in a food processor or with a large knife and place them in a bowl. Put the mini marshmallows in a bowl and set those aside as well. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl.
2. Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and scald it until bubbles being to appear around the sides of the pan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow it to soften and melt the chocolate for one minute.
3. Using a whisk, gently stir to combine the cream and chocolate. Do not stir too vigorously or you will incorporate air bubbles. Continue to whisk until the cream and chocolate is homogenous.
4. Cover the truffle mixture with cling wrap and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate it until it has the texture of semi-firm cookie dough, about 90 minutes.
5. To form the truffles, make sure you have all of the ingredients (ganache, graham crumbs, and marshmallows) set out. Using a small spoon, scoop up a ball of ganache about the size of a large marble. Press one or two mini marshmallows into the center of the ball, and scoop out a little more ganache with the spoon, pressing it over the marshmallows to cover them completely with chocolate. This process will be messy, and at first the truffle ball will be misshapen.
6. Drop the truffle into the bowl of graham crumbs. Roll it around until it is coated with crumbs, then pick it up and roll it between your palms until it is round. Roll it once more in the crumbs to get a good coating, then place it on the prepared baking sheet. This is done because the first layer of graham crumbs prevents the truffle from becoming too sticky when you roll it between your hands.
7. Repeat the process with the remaining ganache and marshmallows. Truffles can be served immediately, or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Bring them to room temperature before serving.

Photo: S'mores Truffles- About.com

More S'Mores: Brownie Smores from Scratch

Summer isn't over, so there's still time to make S'more Brownies. In July, I had an easy S'Mores Brownie recipe using a brownie mix. For those of you who like to do everything from scratch, here's a Killer Smores Brownie Recipe from the Food Network.

Killer S'more Brownies

Ingredients

Crust:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
  
• Pinch fine salt

Brownies:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I use Madagascar vanilla)*
  
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 large cold eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:

• 4 cups large marshmallows

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownies. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

photo: Food Network