Mother’s Day is right around the corner and I wanted to send my dear friend Gigi, who now lives in Massachusetts, something unique. I decided on a fun Homemade S’mores Kit complete with homemade Graham crackers, homemade marshmallows and a big ol’ chocolate bar! Gigi can put these together and pop them under the broiler for delicious S’mores. What a treat!
These homemade Graham crackers and homemade marshmallows are nothing like what you had at Girl Scout Camp. The Graham crackers bake up crispy and delicious with a warm nutty-buttery flavor accented with a hint of cinnamon and honey. The kitchen smells amazing while these are baking. The marshmallows are melt-in-your-mouth smooth and creamy goodness with lots of real vanilla flavor. Pair these homemade goodies with some gourmet chocolate and you have an updated old favorite that is sure to bring out the kid in anyone.
I made16 large graham crackers and 8 large marshmallows with the following recipes.
Here’s the basic recipe for homemade Graham crackers and below are some tips and changes that I’ve made along the way:
Get all your ingredients together and measured out. The original recipe calls for 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup untoasted wheat germ. I substituted both of these for 1 1/2 cups graham flour. Hint: when measuring sticky things like honey or corn syrup, spray your measuring cup/spoons with Pam before filling and everything will slide right out!
Whisk together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the room temperature butter, brown sugar and honey until light and fluffy. Add in the flour mixture and beat until combined.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, this will give you around 30 minutes to finish the dough and the oven will be perfectly preheated.
I wanted rectangles (instead of rounds like the recipe) so I divided my dough into 4 equal balls and rolled each out to around 9″ x 6″ and 1/8″ thick. I used two pieces of wood that are 1/8″ thick and rolled out dough between the sticks to make an even thickness. After all four balls were rolled out, I placed them into the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up. When the dough was firm I trimmed out the edges with a fluted pastry cutter to give a ruffled look and cut again lightly in half and then into quarters. I wanted to have big sized crackers to accommodate the marshmallows and chocolate later on so each cracker is approximately 3″ x 6″ and I got 16 crackers from this batch of dough. I pricked the top of the dough with a fork and then placed the dough back into the freezer to chill one more time. The chilling helps the crackers to keep their shape while baking.
Place Silpat on the baking sheet and put one set of dough onto sheet. I baked mine for around 15 minutes so they would be firm and crispy enough to hold up to melted marshmallow and chocolate. I let them cool slightly on the counter and then carefully transferred them to a wire rack until completely cool. When they have cooled, carefully break crackers along the perforations.
Now on to the marshmallows! Here is the basic recipe and below are my tips and changes that I’ve made along the way:
Making marshmallows is pretty easy but the mixture gets dangerously HOT. Tip: I make sure to keep a bowl of ice water nearby just in case I get burned!
Gather all ingredients together. Line a glass dish that is approximately 8″ x 12″ with parchment paper that hangs over the sides. Sift some powdered sugar over the parchment and set aside.
Mix the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and let sit while you make the syrup.
Combine 1/2 cup water with sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves then raise the temperature to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 to 250 degrees on a digital thermometer. I find that 250 degrees works well for me and I get a nice firm marshmallow.
When you reach 240-250 degrees, turn on electric mixer and transfer the VERY HOT syrup carefully into the running mixer. Turn the mixer on high and whip for 15 minutes, it should be very thick and white. Add the vanilla just before the 15 minutes is up. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared dish. Using damp hands, spread the mixture evenly into the dish and sift powdered sugar on top. Let sit overnight to dry completely.
Remove from pan and peel off parchment. Use a well oiled knife or pizza wheel to cut thru the marshmallow. I cut my marshmallows into 8 equal pieces, enough for eight large S’mores! Dust all sides with more powdered sugar.
I made a gift tag indicating what’s included in the box and I added instructions for how to make the S’mores on the back.
Instructions on how to make S’mores: Preheat broiler. Place one graham cracker square right-side down on baking sheet. Top with piece of chocolate and marshmallow. Place under broiler just until marshmallow turns golden brown, approximately 20 seconds. Remove from broiler and top with another graham cracker. Serve immediately with a tall glass of milk. Enjoy!
