eating marshmallows right now = this moment could be even better if s'mores were to occur.
am i right y'ALL?
the marshmallows, they are peach.
not in-your-face gummy candy peach, but delightfully light, sweet, and peachy.
i plunged a few chocolate covered almonds in one corner. whatever, why not.
abstract food art! kind of..
and graham crackers. there were none to be found in my humble abode. blasphemy!
(is that a blasphemous thing? ..not reeally. i dunno, shut up.)
the graham crackers, i had zero of them. i decided, what the heck, i'll just make some. i couldn't find a good excuse not to.
to make graham crackers, all you need are some basic pantry staples. things like brown sugar and honey. this is going great.
and the makeshift s'more..
a composed mess of graham cracker peach marshmallow and white chocolate.
good. weird? sweet treat tasty. there's marshmallow goo all over my hands and i don't care.
if i did it again, i might sneak some tart lemon curd in there. i am a prisoner to the Tart.
oh, right..it must be mentioned.
*this does not fulfill your yearning for that comfortingly familiar flavor of a classic s'more.
i don't think the sandlot boys would approve of this s'more.
luckily they aren't here in this kitchen to stop me.
very lucky, because they must be old now and that'd be uncomfortable.
GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN, SMALLS
Graham Crackers
adapted from smitten kitchen via nancy silverton
2 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour (i used 2 cups all purpose 1/2 cup graham flour)
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
7 tbsp (3 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup mild flavored honey
5 tbsp milk
2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. pulse to incorporate. add the butter and pulse on and off until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
in a small bowl, whisk together honey, milk, and vanilla. add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times until the dough barely comes together. it will be very soft and sticky. lay out a piece of plastic wrap and dust it with flour, then turn dough onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. wrap it and chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
divide dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. flour a work surface evenly and roll out dough about 1/8 inch thick. use it's very sticky so flour is important. cut into rectangles, squares, circles, etc. place crackers on one or two parchment lined baking sheets and chill until firm, about 30-45 minutes in the fridge or 15 minutes in the freezer. repeat with the second batch of dough. (or freeze it to make later!)
preheat oven to 350 degreesF. bake for 15-25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even baking
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
7 tbsp (3 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup mild flavored honey
5 tbsp milk
2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. pulse to incorporate. add the butter and pulse on and off until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
in a small bowl, whisk together honey, milk, and vanilla. add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times until the dough barely comes together. it will be very soft and sticky. lay out a piece of plastic wrap and dust it with flour, then turn dough onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. wrap it and chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
divide dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. flour a work surface evenly and roll out dough about 1/8 inch thick. use it's very sticky so flour is important. cut into rectangles, squares, circles, etc. place crackers on one or two parchment lined baking sheets and chill until firm, about 30-45 minutes in the fridge or 15 minutes in the freezer. repeat with the second batch of dough. (or freeze it to make later!)
preheat oven to 350 degreesF. bake for 15-25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even baking
Fresh Peach Marshmallows
adapted from this recipe
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
1/2 cup peach puree, method below
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
drop or two of orange food color (optional)
peach puree:
2-3 ripe peaches, diced
tbsp sugar
squeeze of lemon
place the peaches, sugar, and lemon in the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree. strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer, and transfer to a small saucepan. cook the peach puree down to about 1/2 cup, to concentrate the peachy flavor
for the mallows: oil the bottom and sides of a 13x9 inch baking dish. dust with confectioners sugar.
in a bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water and peach puree, and let stand to soften.
in a 3 quart heavy saucepan, cook sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water and salt over medium low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. increase heat to medium and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240, about 10 minutes. remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
with a standing or hand held mixer, beat on high until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume.
in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they just hold still peaks. beat egg whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. pour mixture into prepared pan. sift a few tablespoons of confectioners sugar evenly over top. chill until firm, at least 3 hours, and up to one day.
run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. loosen marshmallow with your fingers and ease onto cutting board. with a large oiled knife, trim the marshmallow and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
mix remaining confectioners' sugar with cornstarch and sift into a wide bowl or baking sheet. toss with the marshmallows on all sides. shake off the excess and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
and then ...
Graham Peach Marshmallow and White Chocolate S'mores
i did it in the oven because i was too lazy to go looking for the old brulee torch.
adapted from this recipe
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
1/2 cup peach puree, method below
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
drop or two of orange food color (optional)
peach puree:
2-3 ripe peaches, diced
tbsp sugar
squeeze of lemon
place the peaches, sugar, and lemon in the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree. strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer, and transfer to a small saucepan. cook the peach puree down to about 1/2 cup, to concentrate the peachy flavor
for the mallows: oil the bottom and sides of a 13x9 inch baking dish. dust with confectioners sugar.
in a bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water and peach puree, and let stand to soften.
in a 3 quart heavy saucepan, cook sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water and salt over medium low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. increase heat to medium and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240, about 10 minutes. remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
with a standing or hand held mixer, beat on high until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume.
in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they just hold still peaks. beat egg whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. pour mixture into prepared pan. sift a few tablespoons of confectioners sugar evenly over top. chill until firm, at least 3 hours, and up to one day.
run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. loosen marshmallow with your fingers and ease onto cutting board. with a large oiled knife, trim the marshmallow and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
mix remaining confectioners' sugar with cornstarch and sift into a wide bowl or baking sheet. toss with the marshmallows on all sides. shake off the excess and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
and then ...
Graham Peach Marshmallow and White Chocolate S'mores
i did it in the oven because i was too lazy to go looking for the old brulee torch.