Sea Salt & Almond Chocolate Chip Cookie Peanut Butter S'mores // Summer of S'mores Pt. 5

It's Friday.  We made it.  Let's celebrate. 

I know there are a few of you out there who take issue with people like myself who like to trash up their chocolate chip cookies. 

Not only have I done that, multiple times, (see here, and here), now I have trashed up my trashed up cookies by turning them into s'mores.  You are very, very welcome. 

Are these really s'mores?  I don't know.  Probably not, considering that there's not a graham cracker in sight. 

In my defense however, the whole goal of this Summer of S'mores was simply to be inspired by the three classic flavors, and these are definitely evocative of the girl scout classic, albeit they do not meet all the technical requirements.

These salty, nut-filled cookies are giving graham crackers a run for their money in my house. 

Let's get right into this.

First we need to make the cookie dough. 

You know the drill, right?  Soft butter meets sugar and an egg before it gets cozy with the dry team - flour and baking soda. 

Now for the fun part. 

And by fun, I mean chopped almonds, chunks of milk chocolate, and sea salt. 

I love a good wrinkly cookie top. 

And I live for crispy edges. 

So, now we have cookies.  Cookies that are perfectly wonderful on their own, but are we done yet?  Of course not, because it's Friday and we need more chocolate. 

Creamy peanut butter and melted chocolate make an excellent spread for lots of things.  S'mores, toast, your fingers...  

If you have not noticed yet, I am not a graceful marshmallow-toaster.  In fact, I am much more of the light-it-on-fire-and-let-it-burn type.  I like the char, and I'm incurably impatient. 

Cookies?  Check!  Peanut butter chocolate gooeyness? Check!  Toasted (read: burnt) marshmallows?  Check! 

And we are done.  Happy Friday!

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Sea Salt & Almond Chocolate Chip Cookie Peanut Butter S'mores

makes 8 s'mores or 16 cookies

for the cookies

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

- 1/4 cup light brown sugar

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 

- 1 large egg 

- 1 teaspoon vanilla 

- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1 cup milk chocolate, roughly chopped

- 3/4 cup raw, unsalted almonds 

- 2 teaspoons course sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer for 1 minute; until fluffy.  Add sugars and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is light in texture and the ingredients are well incorporated.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  

With the mixture on low speed, slowly add the flour and baking soda to the butter mixture, beating until smooth and homogenous.

Fold in the chocolate, almonds, and sea salt using a rubber spatula, being careful to evenly distribute them. 

Portion the dough out into 16 cookies, using a spring-loaded cookie scoop or a large spoon.  Place the cookies on baking sheets, lined with parchment and bake on the center rack for 10 minutes.  For even baking, rotate the pan halfway through the cooking time. 

Set the cookies on cooling racks while you prepare the chocolate peanut butter spread.  The cookies do not need to be completely cooled when you assemble the s'mores, but you do not want them to be too hot, otherwise the chocolate peanut butter spread will just slide off the surface. 

for the s’mores

- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped

- 24 marshmallows 

In a small glass bowl, combine peanut butter and chocolate.  Microwave for thirty second increments, stirring after each, until the mixture is smooth.  Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, until it has thickened slightly.

Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chocolate peanut butter mixture unto the bottom of eight of the cooled cookies.  Top the remaining eight cookies (top-side down) with three marshmallows and place on a baking sheet.  Set the marshmallow-topped cookies under the broiler* of your oven and broil for 1-2 minutes, until the marshmallows are soft and well-toasted.  Be sure to keep an eye on your cookies so that the bottoms do not burn!  

Press the marshmallow halves against the chocolate peanut butter-coated cookies and serve immediately.  Enjoy! 

*You could forgo the broiler altogether and use a kitchen torch to toast your marshmallows, I just find sometimes that it does not melt the marshmallows all the way through. 

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Lemon Meringue S'mores // Summer of S'mores Pt. 1

I like series.  You may have noticed.  Series are one of my favorite things because they stimulate both constancy and anticipation, both of which make my brain very happy. 

Last Summer, I did a series on this blog called "Thirsty Friday" where I blended, and juiced, and used enough paper straws to last a lifetime, and it is still one of my favorite things I have done on this site.  

Since we are now officially, in the depths of Summer, I felt that it was time for a new series. 

While I considered doing drinks again, I knew that nothing could possibly top this Watermelon & Raspberry Lemon Slushie, and I would really prefer to just drink glass after glass of that glorious pink slushie rather than trying to invent something better.

I knew that this Summer needed something beyond drinks, it needed something gooey, toasted, and chocolate-filled.  In the end, the choice was obvious - my very favorite and simplest Summer dessert.  

While I can easily pass up their cookies, I have to give the girl scouts my undying gratitude for the creation of the s'more.  It is a true masterpiece, and the perfect balance of textures, flavors, and sweetness. 

While the classic trio is the height of perfection, last week, in my little kitchen, I met with a twist on perfection that nearly outdid its inspiration. 

Before an angry mob forms, all the fundamental elements of s'mores are present.

Graham Crackers - No improvisation needed.

Chocolate - White.  I know, technically, it's not chocolate, but most of the reasonable world believes it is so let's call it chocolate.  Buy the good stuff though, you will thank yourself. 

Marshmallows - Homemade and lemon; be fancy. 

Bonus ingredient for and extra dose of heavenly flavor magic - Lemon curd.  You get bonus points if you make it yourself.

I like to do this operation in two sections.  Section one being the graham cracker, lemon curd, and marshmallow, and section two comprising of the second half of graham cracker and the white chocolate. 

The best part about homemade marshmallows might just be cutting them to perfectly fit your graham crackers.  Oh symmetrical bliss... 

I toasted the top of my marshmallows with my kitchen torch and then went over the white chocolate ever-so-lightly to get it just a little melty.  

Toasted, smashed and ready to eat.

I should probably mention that this is probably the messiest s'more you will ever bite into, but it is worth every bit of stickiness. 

This might just be the best s'more yet...and the Summer is just beginning.  

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

Be sure to check back each week this Summer for a new, creative twist on one of my favorite classics!  

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Lemon Meringue S’mores

makes one (can easily be multiplied)

- 1 full graham cracker, broken in half

- 2 teaspoons lemon curd (you can estimate this)

- 1-2 lemon marshmallows (depending on how large or small you cut them)

- several squares good quality white chocolate

Spread the lemon curd in an even layer over one of your graham cracker halves.  Place the marshmallow on top and use a kitchen torch to toast the top of the marshmallow.

Place the chocolate squares on the second half of the graham cracker and lightly run the flame of the torch over the chocolate, just until it begins to melt.  Be sure to hold the flame high enough above the chocolate so it does not scorch. 

Place the chocolate half atop the toasted marshmallow and take the biggest bite you can!  Enjoy!

Cook’s note:  You can certainly go the traditional route and toast your marshmallows over a campfire, however, I have just found that homemade marshmallows tend to melt quicker and more easily over an open flame.  If you are making these for a group, try placing the graham cracker halves on a lined sheet pan with the marshmallows and chocolate facing up.  Place the open s’mores in your oven (set to the broiler setting) and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the marshmallows are toasted and the chocolate is just barely melted.  

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