Robin: I had my first s´more at a summer camp while I was growing up in the 1970s, so in my mind this culinary revelation is associated with that decade. However, the history of s´mores goes back long before that, to at least the 1920s, making this treat a campfire staple for over a hundred years now.
For anyone not in the know: the original s’more (the name is reportedly a contraction of the phrase “some more,” since these little gems are so good that you will always want more) is a treat made over a bonfire. A marshmallow is toasted over the open fire, then immediately placed with a piece of chocolate (most often, part of a milk chocolate candy bar) and tucked between two graham crackers. The marshmallow´s heat partially melts the candy, fusing all three ingredients into a delicious treat, which is then eaten with the hand like a sandwich. The whole process can get a little messy, but that´s okay because you are outside, under the stars, with friends, sitting on a log beside an entrancing lakeside campfire at the end of a wonder-filled day. And boy, will you sleep well tonight!
Scouts, summer campers, and other outdoor adventurers have perpetuated the making of s´mores out in the field, but you don´t need to build a campfire—or even buy one of those gadgety tabletop s´mores makers—to partake of this delicacy. Granted, these more “civilized” S’mores Bars won´t give you the entire bonfire-at-the-end-of-a-day-of-camp experience, but they will more than come through with the same flavors and textures: chocolately, ooey gooey, crunchy decadence.
The recipe below will make one 9-inch square baking pan of treats, which can be cut into 16 portions, since these bars are very rich. However, the recipe calls for just half a stick of butter, one half cup of sweetened condensed milk, and one cup of chocolate chips, which is about half a standard bag. So I usually just go ahead and make two batches in order to use the entire amount of these ingredients (a whole stick of butter, a whole can of sweetened condensed milk, and a whole bag of chocolate chips). And I never seem to have trouble “getting rid of” the extra batch!
More sweet things that will amaze you:
S’mores Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
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Turn your oven on to heat to 350°F. Line an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil.
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Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and the brown sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until well combined. Create the crust of the s´mores bars by pressing this mixture into the bottom of the foil- lined baking dish, creating a layer that is as even as possible. Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, melt together the chocolate chips and the condensed milk. You can do this by placing both ingredients together over low heat in a pan on the stove (being sure to stir constantly), or by pouring them into a heat resistant glass bowl or measuring cup and microwaving for a minute or two, stopping to stir every 30 seconds so that the chocolate does not get scorched. Once the chocolate chips have melted, stir until well combined.
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Remove the crust from the oven, but don´t turn the oven off. Pour or spoon the chocolate mixture over the crust in the baking dish. The mixture will be thick, so use a spatula to distribute it as evenly as possible all the way to the edges and corners of the dish.
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Sprinkle the mini marshmallows evenly over the chocolate. Put the pan back in the oven for another ten minutes or so, until the marshmallows are toasted to your liking.
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Let your delicious s´mores bars cool completely to room temperature before attempting to cut them. When you are ready to cut them into bars, lift the whole contents out of the baking pan in one large piece. Remove foil, and place the slab of s´mores bars onto a large cutting board. Use a long, sharp knife to cut into 16 squares. Serve, then sit back and bask in everyone´s delight as they try them!
Recipe Notes
Variations:
- Though the use of milk chocolate chips will produce a flavor closest to a traditional s´more, you can experiment with other kinds of chocolate chips, if you like, such as semisweet or mint chocolate.
- If all you have are large marshmallows, you can use them in this recipe if you chop them. This is almost impossible to do with a knife, however; use kitchen shears, and wet the blades frequently while cutting the marshmallows into smaller pieces.
- For a more festive look and an additional bit of texture, top the marshmallow layer of your s´mores bars with colorful sprinkles.
More food nostalgia:
Photo credits:
- Smores… by GlitterandFrills on Flicker, cc by 2.0, cropped
- Smores Mmmmm by BronxJack on Flicker, cc by 2.0, unmodified
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