dessert, other

Chocolate Caramel S’mores

Okay, ***DISCLAIMER*** before we go any further! CHOCOLATE CARAMEL S’MORES ARE NOT HEALTHY BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION! Normally, Kiwi and Carrot is all about foods like, say, kiwis and carrots! We love our brussels and sweet potatoes and peaches, and we pride ourselves on making yummy, healthy recipes. But occasionally, out of sheer necessity, we MUST turn to chocolate…

Okay, maybe it’s more than occasionally. Shouldn’t chocolate be on the food pyramid as a necessary nutrient for sustaining life? And if you’re going to indulge in chocolate, why not go big? This recipe is definitely a show-stopper, but it also has no true nutritional value whatsoever. Hope you’re okay with that 😉

This recipe was born as I planned a dinner party in our backyard for a group of good friends. We have a little pond back there, and I set a table right next to the water, with white linens, white flowers and lots of candles. It was luxurious and romantic, and very indulgent for a group of people whose lives are pretty much filled up by carpools, jobs, laundry and kids! Typical family life. So I wanted it to be a magical, memorable night…and it was! We had a blast.

To end the night, as the stars came out, we made a big fire in our fire pit, and roasted Ina Garten’s homemade marshmallows, from her Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook. I’ve included her delicious recipe here, as I can’t improve upon it, along with the graham creation we made as a base for those luscious, gooey mallows. S’mores will never be the same!

Chocolate Caramel S’mores

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 12-24 (depending on size)

Ingredients

Barefoot Contessa's Homemade Marshmallows

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Chocolate Caramel Grahams

12-15 full-size graham crackers
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups semisweet, milk chocolate and/or peanut butter chips
1 cup toffee chips or crushed nuts (walnuts, pecans, macadamias) - optional

Instructions

Marshmallows

Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water in electric mixer. Allow to sit while you make the syrup.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Raise heat to high and cook until syrup reaches 240 degrees on candy thermometer. Remove from heat.
Turn mixer on low, and slowly pour syrup into dissolved gelatin.
Turn mixer to high and whip until very thick, about 15 minutes.
Using a sieve, generously dust 9x13 nonmetal baking dish with powdered sugar.
Pour marshmallow mixture into pan and spread evenly. Dust top with more sugar.
Let sit overnight, uncovered, until it dries out.
Cut into squares and dust with more sugar before eating.

Chocolate Caramel Grahams

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cover 1-2 cookie sheets with foil. Spread graham crackers in single layer, right next to each other.
In medium saucepan, melt butter and add brown sugar and salt over low heat.
Turn heat to medium and stir until sugar and butter are bubbly and incorporated, about 3-5 minutes.
Pour mixture over graham crackers and spread evenly. place in oven and bake 8-10 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips on crackers and bake another minute. Take out of oven and swirl melted chocolate all over grahams. Add nuts or toffee, if using.
Put tray in freezer for about an hour to harden.