According to the internet, s’mores are the quintessential summer snack. I associate them with fall. Probably because I think s’mores=bonfire=fall.
I cannot remember the last time I made a true s’more, over an open flame, around a campfire with friends. It was probably in high school. S’more latte? Yes. S’more ice cream? Yes. A MoonPie microwaved until gooey? Yes. (1. A favorite college snack, I have not had one in my adult life. Maybe it is time.)
Here’s the thing, the reason why I have not had a s’more in a hot minute. Marshmallows. My feelings towards them are lukewarm at best. They are not something I really ever thought about making at home.Now flash back to me sitting in my dorm eating microwaved MoonPies reading food blogs like the sad fascinating creature I was. I saw a few recipes for homemade marshmallows. I wrote them off as far too difficult, too much work with little reward.
Okay, back to 2017. I am an adult and now I want a s’more. If I am going to have a s’more it will be with dark chocolate and homemade marshmallow. I want it served on the grand daddy of all cookies, shortbread. I dug through my memories (i.e. the internet) and found a recipe on one of my favorite blogs howsweeteats.
Where she uses coconut, I am more of an almond kind of girl. A little tweak of the recipe, substituting one teaspoon of almond extract and one teaspoon of vanilla for her two teaspoons of coconut and omitting the vanilla bean paste resulted in the marshmallow of my dreams.
Another plus, these marshmallows were SO easy to make. I had all of the ingredients in my pantry, and was able to whip them up in 20 minutes, minus the wait time for the marshmallows to set.
The shortbread was also quick. Another recipe exclusively using pantry ingredients, this dessert, while it needs planning, is one that can be made sans trip to the store. I used this recipe from epicurious.
Topping it all off, was some of my favorite dark chocolate. The best thing about this dessert is that you can totally customize it. Use milk chocolate, or whatever sounds good to you. Store bought shortbread would be lovely. Or maybe a chocolate chip cookie! Or the traditional graham. Or a brownie. But definitely try out the marshmallow recipe.
From Prosecco to Peaches 