With all the blustery cold weather we have been faced with lately, my family, like most others, is ready for the summer months which bring plenty of sunshine and warmer days. While we thoroughly enjoy skating and sledding, hot chocolate and crackling fires, we are ready for a change of seasons and temperatures.
Last summer we camped for the first time and found it to be such a wonderful experience for the entire family. Our nightly "s'mores and ghost-story-telling" were the most fun for me, and I'm sure my children would probably agree. Thinking of those times we decided to spend the past weekend making a different sort of s'more. One that would work for us now, but would remind us of what we have to look forward to, as we moved a month ahead on the calendar and just that much closer to those camping days we were missing.
After a quick search on-line I discovered this wonderful S'more Brownie recipe. With an ooey gooey marshmallow topping, soft brownie centre and crisp graham cracker crust, we may have found a seasonal substitute for our favourite camping snack. The three of us put this together with ease and all agreed that it was a truly yummy treat.
So for those who are looking for a way to bring a little summer to their lives, this recipe may do the trick. And if not, only seventeen more days until Spring...one season closer to our beloved summer.
Oh yeah....if you're looking for a boredom buster for March Break, plan an indoor camping experience for the kids, complete with a tent set-up in the playroom and ghost stories told by flashlight. I can assure you these treats will be well received and will almost pass as a substitute for the real thing.
S'more Brownies, from the Food Network Kitchens
Crust:
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1.5 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp. sugar
pinch of fine salt
Brownie:
8 tbsp. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1.5 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. fine salt
4 large cold eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
Topping:
4 cups of large marshmallows
~ Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8 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 melter 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.
~ Next make the brownie. 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, out the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch of water to a slow simmer, and set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the 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 the 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 boiler and pre-heat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden (keep an eye on it, it can go quickly), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallows from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 squares.
~ Enjoy!
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