Homemade Mallowbars = S'mores Version 2.0

Homemade Mallowbars ... Yes, You Can Do It!

What's your favorite summer dessert? Fresh strawberry pie? Lemon bars? Peach ice cream? Mine, hands-down, is the S'more. You simply can't go wrong with S'mores; they're the perfect combo of snappy graham cracker, fluffy marshmallow, and ooey-gooey chocolate. For the record, ooey-gooey is an official term (to me, anyway).

Summer may be ending but that doesn't mean that S'mores have to go. Keep them going through the rest of the year in the form of a Mallowbar: A light, airy cake with sturdy graham cracker crust, delicate marshmallow center and chocolate glaze. But wait... why not get crazy and MAKE the graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate glaze from scratch? I'm serious. I did it and you can do it, too. The graham cracker crust couldn't be easier, the chocolate glaze makes it look (almost) professional, and once you make homemade marshmallows, you'll never go for store-bought again. They're beyond easy, not-at-all sticky and make me think of a great Winnie The Pooh quote, "Bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, FUN!"

Homemade Mallowbars 
(with Honey Marshmallow and Chocolate Glaze)
Adapted from Cook This Now by Melissa Clark
Makes about 18 (2-inch) squares



Graham Cracker Base:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Honey Marshmallow:

• 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze:

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Step #1: Make the Graham Cracker Base:

Make the Graham Cracker Base

 In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugars, and honey until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and beat until the dough just comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic and pat into a disc. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, or in between two sheets of parchment paper, roll out the dough into a rectangle that just fits the prepared pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Squish it to fit if it starts to tear (the dough is soft). Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake the graham cracker base until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely before topping with the marshmallow. (The graham cracker base can be made a few days ahead; store, covered in foil, at room temperature.)

Make the Honey Marshmallow

Step #2: Make the Honey Marshmallow: While the graham cracker base cools, prepare the honey marshmallow. Place the gelatin in the cold water to bloom. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, honey, and 1/2 cup water, stirring until the sugar dissolves, until the mixture reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. When the sugar mixture has come up to temperature, carefully pour it into the egg whites while whisking. Continue whisking until the mixture has cooled slightly, about 1 minute, and add the gelatin and water mixture and the vanilla. Continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken and quadruples in volume, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the marshmallow onto the graham cracker base and smooth the top with a spatula. Allow the marshmallow to set for 4 hours or overnight at room temperature.

Make the Chocolate Glaze

Step #3: Make the Chocolate Glaze: place the chocolate pieces in a bowl. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted and the glaze is smooth and shiny. Pour the glaze onto the set marshmallow and smooth with a spatula. Allow the glaze to set, about 30 minutes, before cutting into squares.