Wow, 3 posts in 3 weeks! Boggling to remember how many years I did 3 posts every week!
These are pretty intense looking, but were very doable in a day during which I did a whole lotta other stuff, especially because I had multiple bags of caramel bits already so skipped making that layer from scratch. I’ve gotten good response sharing with a few friends! The original recipe said use an 8″ or 9″ square pan and I used an 8″, since my 9″ pan still had leftover brownies, but I think in the future I’d do 9″ just to make the marshmallow layer a tiny bit thinner, as it’d be spread over more space. I think I’ve only made marshmallows once before, and I’m not super confident with it yet, but this went fine!
Ingredients:
Graham Cracker Layer:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (1 sleeve minus 1 graham cracker, for me)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Caramel Layer:
Marshmallow Layer:
- /3 cup cool water for the gelatin mixture
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 envelopes powdered gelatin
- 1/3 cup water for the sugar mixture
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (95 grams) honey
- heaped 1 cup (226 grams) brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 100 g dark chocolate, chopped fine
Grease and line a 9×9″ pan with parchment. If your parchment doesn’t fully cover the sides of the pan, put another piece going the other direction too. Preheat your oven (woo big toaster oven!) to 350 degrees.
Make your graham cracker crumbs, either with a food processor or by putting the graham crackers in a ziplock, putting that on a thick cutting board, and whamming it with a meat tenderizer, or anything else solid you’ve got.
Combine the crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl and stir together. Pour into the lined 9×9″ pan and spread evenly, pressing firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
When the crust has cooled, combine the caramel bits and water in a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 2 minutes.
Stir until smooth, then pour over the crust. Set aside.
In a small dish, combine 1/3 cup water, the vanilla, and gelatin and stir until no dry clumps remain. Set aside.
In a deep pot, combine the the water, honey, brown sugar, and salt. Put over medium heat and stir to combine.
Heat until a thermometer in the mixture reaches 245-250.
Remove from the heat and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Let cool for a quick minute, then add the now-congealed gelatin.
Beat with the whisk attachment, starting on low speak and working up to medium, and beating for around 10 minutes.
While the gelatin mixture is beating, heat the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
When the marshmallow mixture is big, thick looking, fluffy, shiny, not much above room temp, and only sort of, not hand-engulfingly sticky, take the bowl off the mixer. It will get even less sticky as it sets. Pour in the chocolate, and stir just a few swipes, so it’s not fully/evenly mixed.
If your caramel layer is room temperature and the caramel isn’t sticky at all, throw it back in the oven for just a few minutes, just long enough to soften the caramel a bit to help it stick to the marshmallow. Spread the marshmallow onto the caramel layer, and spread evenly. Let set for at least 4 hours.
To cut, run a sharp knife under hot water until the blade is hot, then wipe the blade dry. Spray with some cooking grease, and slice. To store, put in an airtight container in the fridge, but bring back to room temp for cutting/eating.
A little adapted from Buttermilk by Sam.
Graham Cracker Layer:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (1 sleeve minus 1 graham cracker, for me)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Caramel Layer:
Marshmallow Layer:
- /3 cup cool water for the gelatin mixture
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 envelopes powdered gelatin
- 1/3 cup water for the sugar mixture
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (95 grams) honey
- heaped 1 cup (226 grams) brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 100 g dark chocolate, chopped fine
Grease and line a 9×9″ pan with parchment. If your parchment doesn’t fully cover the sides of the pan, put another piece going the other direction too. Preheat your oven (woo big toaster oven!) to 350 degrees.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl and stir together. Pour into the lined 9×9″ pan and spread evenly, pressing firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
When the crust has cooled, combine the caramel bits and water in a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth, then pour over the crust. Set aside.
In a small dish, combine 1/3 cup water, the vanilla, and gelatin and stir until no dry clumps remain. Set aside.
In a deep pot, combine the the water, honey, brown sugar, and salt. Put over medium heat and stir to combine. Heat until a thermometer in the mixture reaches 245-250, then remove from the heat and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Let cool for a quick minute, then add the now-congealed gelatin. Beat with the whisk attachment, starting on low speak and working up to medium, and beating for around 10 minutes.
While the gelatin mixture is beating, heat the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
When the marshmallow mixture is big, thick looking, fluffy, shiny, down to almost room temperature, and not SUPER sticky. Pour in the chocolate, and stir just a few swipes, so it’s not fully/evenly mixed.
If your caramel layer is room temperature and the caramel isn’t sticky at all, throw it back in the oven for just a few minutes, just long enough to soften the caramel a bit to help it stick to the marshmallow. Spread the marshmallow onto the caramel layer, and spread evenly. Let set for at least 4 hours.
To cut, run a sharp knife under hot water until the blade is hot, then wipe the blade dry. Spray with some cooking grease, and slice. To store, put in an airtight container in the fridge, but bring back to room temp for cutting/eating.