MAKES 12 S’MORES, PLUS EXTRA MARSHMALLOWS FOR SNACKING ON
My stepfather, Bob, taught me how to perfect s’mores at our lake house in Wisconsin. The chocolate has to be melted just right, the marshmallow has to be perfectly browned—puffy, not blackened—and the whole package must be warm.
These days, I’ve taken s’mores to the next level; I make my s’mores using homemade graham crackers and marshmallows and good dark chocolate. And I’ve passed on what Bob taught me to my son Ethan, who is now the marshmallow-toasting master of the family.
Marshmallows are surprisingly easy to make. Once you do it, you’ll never go back to store-bought. You will need a quarter sheet pan or 9 by 13-inch metal baking pan to make them.
For the Graham Crackers
1/3 cup mild-flavored HONEY (such as clover)
1/3 cup WHOLE MILK
2 tablespoons pure VANILLA EXTRACT
2 cups GRAHAM FLOUR (available at health food and specialty food stores)
2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose FLOUR, plus more for dusting
3/4 cup packed dark BROWN SUGAR
1 teaspoon BAKING SODA
1 teaspoon BAKING POWDER
3/4 teaspoon KOSHER SALT
1/2 teaspoon ground CINNAMON
7 tablespoons cold UNSALTED BUTTER, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons granulated SUGAR
For the Marshmallows
Nonstick COOKING SPRAY
3 packages (1 tablespoon each) UNFLAVORED GELATIN
11/2 cups granulated SUGAR
1 cup light CORN SYRUP
11/4 teaspoons pure VANILLA EXTRACT
6 or more thin 3-ounce CHOCOLATE BARS (a mix of milk and dark)
To make the graham crackers, whisk the honey, milk, and vanilla together in a small bowl.
Combine the graham flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a food processor and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. (You can also cut the butter into the dry ingredients by hand in a large bowl, using two knives.) Pour the wet ingredients into the food processor and pulse a few times until the dough just comes together to form a ball. Don’t work the dough any more than necessary.
Dust a work surface with all-purpose flour. Turn the dough onto the surface and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it until it’s firm, at least an hour and up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to roll out the dough, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust the work surface and a rolling pin with all-purpose flour. Unwrap the dough and roll it into a 15 by 15-inch square, 1/8 inch thick. Use a pizza cutter and a straightedge to cut the dough into twenty-five 3-inch squares. Carefully place the squares in a single layer on the prepared sheet pans. Chill for about 30 minutes, until the dough is firm.
Adjust the oven racks so one is at the top third and the other at the bottom third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Stir the granulated sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle each cracker with about 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar. Bake the graham crackers for 20 to 25 minutes, until they have darkened in color and are slightly firm to the touch, rotating the baking sheets and switching them on the racks halfway through so the crackers bake evenly. Remove from the oven and set the pans on cooling racks. Let the crackers cool completely on the pans. The graham crackers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To make the marshmallows, spray a quarter sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray, line it with plastic wrap, and spray the plastic wrap. Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk and set aside for the gelatin to soften while you make the syrup.
Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Fasten a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Let the syrup boil without stirring until the temperature reaches 240°F, about 10 minutes. Do not leave the stove while you are doing this; if you cook the syrup too long, you will have to start over.
Turn on the mixer to medium speed and slowly pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin. Whip for 2 to 3 minutes; the marshmallow will begin to be foamy and fluffy. Turn off the mixer and add the vanilla. Whip the marshmallow on high speed for about 5 minutes more, until it has tripled in volume and is white, fluffy, and shiny.
Spread the marshmallow in an even layer on the sheet pan and set aside for about 10 minutes to cool to room temperature. When the marshmallow is cool, spray the top with cooking spray; this prevents the marshmallow from sticking when you cut it. Use scissors to cut the marshmallows into 1-inch squares. Layer the marshmallows in an airtight container with a sheet of parchment paper between the layers and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To assemble the s’mores, place half a chocolate bar on a graham cracker and set the cracker close to the fire so the chocolate can melt a little. Toast a marshmallow on a stick over the fire, turning it slowly until the marshmallow has puffed up and is brown all over. Place the marshmallow on the chocolate and top with another cracker. Press the sandwich firmly together and allow the chocolate to melt before biting into the s’more.