On Saturday I hosted a girls day at my home, with two other wonerful ladies, Kat and Kryta.
We had a picnic outside, made some crafties, whipped up some DELICIOUS homemade S'MORES, grabbed some vietnamese food for dinner and then roasted our hard work in the back yard over a bonfire.
Crafties.
Bonfire.
The youngest member of girl's day...couldn't hack it and fell asleep. : )
Ok the moment you have been waiting for...
Homemade Grahams + Mallows
Graham Ingredients
Makes 10 4 x 4.5-inch graham crackers
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (a swap of 1/2 cup with whole wheat flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour works well here, too)
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup mild-flavored honey, such as clover
5 tablespoons milk, full-fat is best
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Topping (optional)
3 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping, if using, by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting aside.
Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 1/2 inches to make 4 crackers. *I used a ciclular cookie cutter with scalloped edges*
Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough. Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and re-roll.
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough (again, this is for the traditional cracker shape). Using a toothpick or skewer (I like to use the blunt end of a wooden skewer for more dramatic dots), prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line.
Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.
Mallow Ingredients
1 cup confectioner’s sugar (a.k.a. powdered sugar)
3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup hot water (You want it to be around 115°F, which takes about 15 seconds in the microwave. )
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites (or meringue powder reconstituted according to the manufacturer’s directions)
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1. Lightly spray a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan with nonstick spray, and dust it (bottom and sides) with a little confectioner’s sugar. (If you don’t have a pan that size, it’s fine to use a 10-inch square pan.)
2. Grab the bowl of your standing electric mixer (or just a large bowl, if you’re using a hand mixer), and pour in the cold water. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water, and set it aside to soften.
3. Set a large saucepan on the stove, and add the granulated sugar, corn syrup, hot water and salt. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring it with a wooden spoon, until the sugar is dissolved.
4. Turn up the heat to medium, and bring the mixture to a boil (without stirring it!) until your candy thermometer reads 240°F. This will take about 12 minutes.
5. Take the pan off the stove, and pour the sugar mixture over the gelatin mixture from Step 2. Stir it until the gelatin is dissolved.
6. Using an electric mixer (standing or hand-held), beat the mixture on high speed until it’s bright white, thick and nearly tripled in volume. (This will take about 6 minutes if you’re using a standing mixer or 10 minutes with a hand-held.)
7. Grab a separate bowl and a set of clean beaters or a whisk, and beat your egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks.
8. Add the egg whites and vanilla to the sugar mixture, and beat them until they’re just combined.
9. Pour the mixture into your prepared pan.
10. Sift 1/4 cup of confectioner’s sugar over the top of the marshmallow.
11. Pop the pan into the refrigerator, and let the mixture chill, uncovered, until it’s firm. This will take at least at least 3 hours, but you can leave it in the fridge for up to 24.
12. Take a thin knife, and run it around all four edges of the pan. Turn the pan upside-down onto a large cutting board. Then lift up a corner of the pan, and use your fingers or a knife to loosen up the marshmallow block so that it falls onto the board.
13. Cut 1 inch cubes, or get creative and use cookie cutters, biscuit cutters, or cut them in crazy shapes with the knife!
14. With the remainder of the powered sugar, coat the cubes so they are not sticky around the edges.
White, fluffy, deliscious cubes of mallow!
S'MORES GALORE!
