Looks Delic
Campfire s’mores are a dessert staple in our family during the summer months. We even keep the ingredients in the beach bag just in case we find ourselves fireside at night time. But by the time summer fades we’re all a little S’mored out and no one wants to sit out in the cold patiently waiting for their marshmallow to toast.
We have been starting to miss the gooey sticky sticky sweetness of s’mores recently and then I came upon this gem of wintertime stand-in… S’mores bars! Graham cracker crumble crust, melted chocolate center and a fluffy toasty marshmallow top. Grab the napkins because this is going to get messy!
About the Ingredients
Graham cracker crumbs – The baking isle of the grocery store sells the crumbs ready to use. If you’re like me and happen to always have s’mores ingredients in the house though, you could also crumble your own crackers (about 16 crackers.)
Chocolate for melting – The recipe calls for 8oz of milk chocolate and 4 oz of bittersweet. The combination is perfect but you could use any chocolate you like.
Egg whites – When separating the eggs be extra careful. If any little bit of the yolk gets into the meringue you won’t be able to get the texture of the marshmallow right.
Cream of tartar– This is sold in the spice section at the supermarket. This will help hold your meringue together and is completely necessary so don’t skip it.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations
Classic s’mores use Hersey’s milk chocolate bars while this recipe calls for a combination of milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate. The unmistakable taste of a Hershey bar is sometimes irreplaceable so if that is what you’re craving, I say go for it – use all milk chocolate. Personally I love the the added flavor the bittersweet chocolate provides so you might just have to try it both ways.
I’m all about the classic s’mores taste but who doesn’t love Nutella? The toasty marshmallow and hazelnut flavors could be a match made in heaven. Try swapping out the melted chocolate and spread on a big heap of Nutella.
How to Make S’mores Bars
These bars are incredibly simple to make but take a little bit of time. Each layer needs to be worked and set separately so give yourself a little prep time to put them together.
First is the crust. Like any good graham cracker crust, mix the crumbs with brown sugar, salt and butter. Press it into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and bake it for about 10 minutes. Then let it cool to room temperature.
Next up is the chocolate layer. Melt the chocolate and whisk in the heavy cream. Spread the chocolate over the crumb crust in an even layer and pop it into the freezer to let it set. This will take almost an hour.
Last but certainly not least is the marshmallow topping. To make the meringue you’ll start by whisking egg whites and sugar over low heat in a double broiler. Transfer it to your stand mixer, add the vanilla and cream of tartar and beat it until stiff. Dollop the marshmallow on top of the chocolate. Using a rubber spatula and swirling motion, give it a little texture. Move the tray to the oven with the broiler set on high. KEEP A CLOSE WATCH. It will only take a minute for your marshmallow to toast!
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
It looks fancy and complicated but it really isn’t. Just take a rubber spatula and swirl with very light pressure. The technique is exactly the same as swirling meringue. There are some great videos on YouTube, like this one, if you want to watch someone before taking a try at it. Skip ahead in the video to minute 6:30 to see her swirl her meringue.Â
You can if you want but you’ll miss out on the fluffy silky texture that comes from the homemade stuff. Real marshmallows will firm up (ever have sweet potato casserole with marshmallows melted on top?) They also don’t store well so you’ll need to eat them immediately like a real s’more where these will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.
The Recipe for S’mores Bars
This recipe and all of the delicious details are available in the self titled Once Upon A Chef cookbook. Jenn Segal has packed a TON of wonderful recipes into this cookbook so if you don’t already have it, I highly recommend picking it up. (By the way, those Lemon Bars pictured above alongside the s’mores bars are in the cookbook too!)
If you test out this recipe be sure to leave a note in the comments below. Did you think they were as good as campfire s’mores? Enjoy!
