Whalen - Smores!: gooey, melty, crunchy riffs on the campfire classic

The Rules of Smore

The culinary triad of graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate invites almost infinite adaptation. However, before we begin our journey through all of the possible variations of smores, it is important to set a few guidelines. Below are the general rules I followed when asking the ever-important question, What is a smore? Like all rules, of course, I broke a few here and there, and I think you should, too.

A smore is always a sandwich. There are no smores-inspired desserts to be found here.

Each smore must have a gooey, melty, and crunchy element to it.

If you start with graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate, you can always add more to a smore.

No matter how far away you get from the traditional smore (and we get pretty far toward the end of the book), your concoction must visually look like a smore. This usually means a couple of small square crackers or bread elements, with a white, round thing sandwiched in the middle.

Enjoy with friends! Most of these recipes make twelve smores. Thats for a reason.

the smores

FROM CLASSIC

... TO CRAZY

Introduction

Welcome to the crunchy, gooey, melty world of backyard bonfires and roasting sticks, of campfire songs and camaraderie. You will find nothing boring in this book of smores. It is simply a collection of riffsfrom the expected to the outrageouson one of the most beloved desserts of all time. Before you dive into the recipes, however, please pause to indulge me with a few pressing diversions...

What are smores?

Smores have been, are, and always will be my favorite dessert. This traditional campfire treat is strikingly easy to put togetherjust graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallow. Thats it. And yet, these three simple ingredients have such staying power. I have countless memories of eating smoresthe time, the place, and the friends I was with. Name any other dessert thats so simple and yet has such nostalgia attached to it!

Why is something so simple so amazing?

The flavors match perfectly. The flavors of the three simple ingredients just go so well together. The hint of salt in the graham cracker and the slight char on the marshmallow combine to make smores most peoples first entry point into the world of salty desserts.

Smores are texturally balanced. The best things come in threes, right? In this case, crunchy cracker, warm gooey marshmallow, and half-melted chocolate that coats your mouth.

Smores are interactive. Instead of someone cooking behind closed doors and emerging with a finished cake, the creation of smores allows everyone to be involved in the fun! Each person thinks they make the perfect smore, and everyone has their own method for toasting marshmallows. We will be introducing you to a handful of these toasting personalities throughout the book.

Smores are social. Bonfires and great conversations go hand in hand. And the competitive aspect of marshmallow toasting and smore assembly can make things interesting.

You can eat them without shoes on. Anthony Bourdain (may he RIP) always said that food tastes better when your feet are in the sand. In this case, for sand, just substitute grass or the ground near your fire pit. Eating outside surrounded by friends, nature, and a roaring fire creates a great atmosphere for enjoying food.

What are the smores in this book?

This book features fifty-one twists on the traditional smores package: a small sandwich with a crunchy exterior, creamy filling, and decadent sauce. The recipes start with classic and beloved dessert flavors. As you flip the pages, the ingredients move farther away from the norm, exchanging the usual trio for some wild smores ideas.

As the book progresses, the recipes gradually swap out the chocolate, graham cracker, and marshmallow, one by one, replacing each with similar textures and colors to see how far we can take the idea of smores without losing the recognizable components. When we start to vary flavors, we begin to rethink the true idea of what makes a smore. By the end of the smores journey, the relationship to a traditional smore is purely structuralit looks like a smore, but doesnt taste like one! You can ride along on this questfrom classic to crazyby starting at the beginning of the book and tasting the recipes in order, or hop around, looking for the flavor combinations that speak to you.

Because smores are so easy to make and so perfect as is, I made sure these recipes were mostly on the easy-to-make side. When they do get a little more challenging, they are very much worth the extra effort!

What you wont find in this book are smores flavors presented in a different format. For example, there are no smores cakes or smores cookies, just perfectly balanced stacks of ingredients.

Marshmallow Cooking

There are four main methods for cooking marshmallows to that perfect golden brown crust and gooey, melty middle. For purposes of this book, I wrote the recipes with the broiler method () in mind, particularly for batches of twelve, but the best way will always be over an open fire. I encourage you to use the method that works best for you at the moment. Embrace the smore year-round and try them all!

Over the Fire

Overall warming: 1 foot above

Precision browning zone: 2 to 4 inches away from an especially hot zone

Extreme heat: in the actual flames

Whether its flickering embers in a small pit or a huge blazing pyre, open flame is the classic smores heat source. Use a long-enough stick and find a spot near the fire that has a strong but medium temperature coming from multiple directions at the marshmallow. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning on the outside (unless thats your thing) before the inside is warmed through. Experimentation is key.

Gas Stovetop

Overall warming: 6 to 8 inches away

Precision browning zone: 2 to 4 inches away

Using an uncovered gas burner on high heat is the way I initially toasted most of my marshmallows while creating these recipes. I like to hold the marshmallow high above the flame right in the center of the ring. If you hold it in the right spot, the heat becomes very concentrated. Keep spinning the marshmallow to avoid flare-ups and to get a nice even color and temperature.

COOKING TORCH

Precision browning zone: 2 to 4 inches away

A cooking torch can be a nice way to get precise browning, but it is harder to achieve an overall cooked-through, gooey-in-the-middle marshmallow. So you dont burn the counter or a plate, put the marshmallow on a baking sheet oiled with cooking spray, and hold the torch far away to start so you can control the browning and internal temperature.