Get Your S'mores On

 When I saw this recipe online, I saw no point in waiting until National S'mores Day celebrated on August 10th. The beauty of this recipe is that you don't need a campfire; just an oven. 

But if there's a campfire, I can be prepared at a moment's notice, since my son gave me my very own S'more box several years ago. 

Inside, it's packed with necessary supplies, and I'm ready to go. 

The following recipe is an alternative to a campfire treat called 

Make-Ahead Brownie S'mores in Ramekins developed by Chris Scheuer.

With a Graham cracker shortbread crust, a layer of fudgy chocolate brownie, and a crisp, gooey toasted marshmallow topping, this super-easy Brownie S'mores recipe transforms the beloved campfire treat into an elegant, portable dessert that all ages will enjoy. 

Cooking tip: Bake the graham cracker layer and brownie layer according to directions. Set aside and do the marshmallow topping right before serving.  

Ingredients:
For the graham cracker shortbread layer:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 double graham crackers
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the brownie layer:

• 4 tablespoons of butter
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips. I used Ghirardelli chips.
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder I used Hershey's
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 6 Hershey chocolate bar pieces

For the marshmallow topping:

• Miniature marshmallows, about ½ cup per ramekin
• For garnish: Hershey snack-size chocolate bars for garnish, if desired

Directions:
For the prep:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 6 6-ounce ramekins with baking spray. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan or in a 9x13 baking pan. Set aside.

For the graham cracker shortbread layer

• Place the graham crackers in a food processor until the crackers are nicely crushed.
• Melt the butter in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl by cooking on high power for 30-40 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave and add the crushed graham crackers. Pulse a few times on low.
• Add the powdered sugar, flour, and salt to the graham crackers and pulse only until it is well combined. The mixture will be crumbly.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the 6 prepared ramekins and tap down gently using the bottom of a small, flat-bottomed glass or teaspoon. Set aside.

For the brownie layer:

• In a medium-size microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and chocolate chips. Cook on high power for 45 seconds, then stir and continue to cook and stir for 15-second intervals until the mixture is melted and smooth.
• Whisk in the cocoa, sugar, and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the egg and whisk for 30 seconds until smooth and well combined. Lastly, add the flour and stir just until the flour disappears.
• Divide the brownie mixture into the 6 ramekins on top of the shortbread layer. Place one square of a Hershey bar on the brownie layer.
• Bake (on the sheet pan or in the baking pan) for 18 minutes.

• The brownie layer will be shiny and dry on the top. Remove from the oven. If preparing in advance let the ramekins cool on a cooling rack until just before serving. If serving right away, allow the ramekins to cool for 10 minutes, then follow the directions below.

For the marshmallow topping and to finish:

• Preheat (or increase the temperature) the oven to 400 degrees. Fill the ramekins with mini marshmallows. (I like to mound them up in the center, slightly over the top of the ramekins). Return the ramekins to a sheet pan or baking pan and bake for 5 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the marshmallows are slightly puffed. I used the rack in the middle position.
• Tuck a snack-size Hershey bar or a small piece of chocolate into the top of each dessert.

LOL I took too long to set up my camera, and the chocolate began to melt.
So I went to plan B
For the next batch, I skipped adding the chocolate square, and this looked significantly better. For me, food is all about the presentation, too.

Since one person in my household dislikes marshmallows, ice cream was added to the brownie and shortbread layer as an alternative. 

NOW sing your favorite campfire song and ENJOY!

Local Minnesota author Darrell Pedersen, at a young age, started a campfire in his basement to impress his cousins. Too bad he didn't know about S'mores in ramekins. He could have saved himself from getting into a lot of trouble. 

Here's a link to my review of his book "Campfire in the Basement."

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2023/05/campfire-in-basement.html