peanut butter s'mores pop tarts

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Omg I love a s’more occasion because it means it’s warm enough to sit outside but not so warm that you’d overheat near a bonfire. It’s a similar pleasure to having the temperature of your house on the colder side just so you can wear your coziest sweatshirts. 

I made these s’mores pop tarts last month for Eggboy’s cousin Sarah’s bridal shower. She’s getting married at a ranch in the Tetons next week and I cannot wait!!! We are staying one night in Jackson Hole, which will be my first time to Wyoming, and then driving to the ranch to hike and celebrate. Where do I need to eat brunch in Jackson Hole???

There are some very specific things I need to talk to you about with these pop tarts. I’m going to do this in list form:

  1. The magic is in the crust! It is a pie crust dressed up as a graham cracker and the measurements below are such that the crust remains thick. It’s true that I have a complicated relationship with pie crust and that I am so not opposed to using store bought pie dough in situations where the fillings carry the dish, however, 1) this crust is truly magical and nutty and oomphed up with cinnamon and nutmeg, and 2) the fillings require no preparation so the crust is the only place where you need to exert energy. It’s so good! 
  2. An unfortunate thing about marshmallows is that they really can be too sweet. It’s one reason why Lily doesn’t like them. But between the crust, which is not very sweet, and the unsweetened peanut butter, there is a really nice balance that happens in this tart that I think Lily and others alike would approve of. Where these tarts leave off in sweetness, they pick up in nuttiness from the peanut butter. Obviously almond butter or another nut butter or tahini would also be great here.
  3. Real marshmallows alone do not werk! They are firmed up with gelatin, which melts down to complete liquid in the oven and has a very, very high chance of oozing out. However, if they do stay put in the tart then when they cool back down to room temp, they leave you with some of that signature s’mores chewiness. Marshmallow fluff, on the other hand, does the opposite of all of that. It is thickened with egg whites and therefore gets firm in the heat of the oven so there’s little risk of that oozing out but then when it cools you don’t have the chewy marshmallow texture. My solution is to use both. Fluff to lock in the marshmallows, marshmallows to provide chewiness, and both to provide flavor. You can make both from scratch if you’re truly feeling extra (this fluff rules), or you can make neither from scratch. Just do whatever option will leave you with enough energy to make the pie crust because that really is the most important part of this picture.
  4. To me, Hershey’s bars are a very important part of a s’more. The waxy texture and milk chocolate flavor are what I latch onto when I dream of a s’more and that’s just how I am. You might have a need for a fancy chocolate and that’s fine, you do you. I’ve opted to use a straight up piece of the chocolate bar here rather than using a chocolate spread because I like how it firms back up when the tarts cool. (I also like my chocolate croissants this way, with a full on hard chocolate bar in the middle. It’s texturally more exciting to me than a soft spread. It makes me want to eat a chocolate bar sandwich. We’re getting off topic.)

Make these!!! 

Peanut Butter S’mores Pop Tarts

Makes 10

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 c (195g) all-purpose flour
1 c (130g) whole wheat flour
1/4 c (50g) sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
A few passes of nutmeg
18 tb (253g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1/4 c ice cold water


Filling and assembly

About 1/4 c (65g) unsweetened peanut butter (I like Smucker’s All-Natural)
2 hershey’s milk chocolate bars
About 3/4 c (60g) marshmallow fluff
30 mini marshmallows
1 egg, beaten 


Glaze

1 c (120g) powdered sugar
1/4 c (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tb whole milk
A pinch of kosher salt

Sprinkles

Clues


In a food processor, pulse to combine the flours, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the butter and pulse until pea-sized (a few larger bits are ok). Drizzle in the water and continue to pulse until the dough starts to come together. It may still look crumbly but it’s ready when it sticks together if you squeeze a handful of it together. Turn it out onto a clean surface and use your hands to smush it all together into a ball. Divide it in half and pat out into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to a day or two. 

Preheat the oven to 425ºf. Line two pans with parchment and set aside. 

On a lightly floured surface, working with one dough disc at a time and dusting with additional flour as needed to prevent it from sticking, roll it out until it’s just under 1/4” thick (3/16” is ideal but I don’t mean to freak you out with such an odd measurement). Cut out 10 3” squares, re-rolling scraps, and arrange them on the baking sheets at least 1” apart. Top each with a heaping teaspoon of peanut butter, 2 chocolate rectangles, about a tablespoon of marshmallow fluff, and 3 mini marshmallows. I recommend adding the marshmallow fluff by piping it out of a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner cut off. It makes this process cleaner and allows you to make a little border that will hold in your mini marshmallows. (See the gif above as a reference.) And you can eyeball the tablespoon measurement, it doesn’t need to be exact. 

Roll out the remaining dough disc along with any scraps from the first disc and cut out 3 1/2” squares, re-rolling scraps as needed. Brush the edges of the bottom squares with a thin layer of egg wash and top with a larger square. Pinch the edges to seal well and crimp with a fork to ensure that they’re sealed. Trim the edges if desired so that they line up cleanly. Poke a few holes in the top with a fork and brush the tops with egg wash. Bake until golden brown; begin checking for doneness at 16 minutes. Let cool on the pans for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. 

Top the tarts with glaze and sprinkles and enjoy! These will keep for a couple of days at room temperature.
 

-yeh!

photos by chantell and brett! shirt from of a kind! sprinkles from supernatural!

s'mores mini cakes + instaglamp registration!

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in the alternate reality where we never grow up and i am eternally a 12-year-old with crimped hair and a body glittered face, you will find me at summer camp near the canteen with a frozen charleston chew going into my mouth. and i might also be writing a letter home on hello kitty stationary or on my way to pick up a care package full of tampon boxes that are actually secretly full of red vines and cow tales. this is my heaven. 

idk, maybe it’s obvious from the fact that i sleep in this sweatshirt every night and watch wet hot american summer and camp nowhere as often as possible and devoted a whole chapter in molly on the range to camp and just about fell off the treadmill when unorthodox announced their summer camp episode but i am the most summer camp obsessed lady in all of the red river valley. 

which is why i am excited af x 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 to announce that registration for a **new** grownup summer camp is officially open!!!!!!!!

instaglamp is what happens when summer camp grows up, leaves home, gives away its juicy velour sweatsuits, and now instead of playing gaga and eating spray can cheese, it is into things like styling cute picnic lunches, cooking shakshuka by campfire, foraging, and posting all about it on instagram. all of the great campy things like s’mores and care packages are still there but these s’mores will have ~fancy~ marshmallows and the care packages just might be boozy. and the spray can cheese will get swapped out for cheese tasting at a goat farm!!! 

it will be held at firelight camps (just look at the tents that you get to stay in!!) and the counselors will be johnna foxmeetsbear, emma frisch, and me! emma and johnna are the best and we’ve been chatting and scheming for months now and have cooked up a schedule that is geared toward anybody who is looking to work on their photo taking, food styling, editing in both lightroom and mobile apps, and all of the fun things that go into building an instagram feed that you love. we’ll also venture out around the finger lakes to explore breweries, farms, and the ithaca farmers market. it’s going to be bonkers and i hope you will join us!

spots are limited, so head over here for more details and book as soon as you can!

to celebrate instaglamp registration opening, i made cakes! duh. they are s’mores inspired mini cakes that are made up of graham cake, chocolate buttercream, and a marshmallow topping that i torched with eggboy’s tiniest farm torch. i was inspired by deb’s s'mores cupcakes to put actual ground up graham crackers into the cake rather than hunting down graham flour, and it is such a tasty addition. if you don’t have a little torch, you can totally skip that step (but do add a kitchen torch to your next birthday list because torching marshmallow frosting is sooo satisfying). 

s'mores mini cakes

makes 10 mini cakes

ingredients

for the cake:

1 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

9 large graham crackers (1 package), finely ground in a food processor

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 c buttermilk

1/2 c flavorless oil, like canola

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c water

 

for the chocolate frosting:

3 oz chocolate chips

1/2 c unsalted butter, softened

1 c powdered sugar

1/4 c cocoa powder

a pinch of kosher salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tb heavy cream

 

for the marshmallow topping:

4 egg whites

3/4 c sugar

a pinch of kosher salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 

sprinkles, optional

clues

for the cake:

preheat the oven to 350ºf. line a half sheet pan with parchment and set aside.

in a large bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. in a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, and water. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.

pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, begin checking for doneness at 20 minutes. let cool in the pan fully.

when the cake is cool, use a 2 1/2" circle biscuit cutter to cut out your mini layers. (to get the cleanest edges, i typically wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and then freeze for an hour or so (or even up to a couple of weeks) before cutting out my circles.)

for the frosting:

melt chocolate chips in a double boiler, set aside to cool to room temperature.

in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla until combined. add the cream and then with the mixer on low, stir in the melted chocolate.

to assemble:

stack up three layers of cake circles with a layer of chocolate frosting between them, leaving the top unfrosted and ready for the marshmallow topping. it's important to do this step before making the marshmallow topping since once you make it you'll want to pipe it on immediately. 

for the marshmallow topping:

in a double boiler fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the egg whites and sugar and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until it reaches 160ºf.

transfer the mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on high with the whisk attachment until the mixture forms glossy stiff peaks. stir in the salt and vanilla and then immediately transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a large circle tip. pipe large blobs onto the tops of the cakes and then torch with a kitchen torch to lightly toast it. top with sprinkles if desired.

enjoy!

-yeh!

firelight photos by: andy noyes, kathryn leighton, and allison usavage! 

hibiscus almond marshmallows + coconut hot chocolate

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it was negative 28 degrees this weekend!!!!!! do you know what this means?! it is likely going to be physically impossible for the snow to melt before chrismukkah, so we are going to have the white chrismukkah that dreams are made of. yas. 

i've become accustomed to wearing a layer of long underwear at all times and giving myself an extra 10 or so minutes before leaving the house to *get in costume* with all of my additional fluffy warm layers. my hats, scarves, and mittens all live in a large metal bucket next to the door, the kind of metal bucket you'd go bobbing for apples in if bobbing for apples was your thing. even a trip to the grocery store requires a few inches of padding between my skin and the air, just like a big green baymax. that doesn't apply to everyone though: you can tell a native around here if you see them running into the store in just a hoodie and sweatpants, leaving behind their pickup truck that's still got the engine on. 

the weather has naturally led to more hibernation time at home, which i live for. there are just two main challenges: getting my bum to the gym and dressing up for the holidays. i am trying to fix the gym part by downloading workout apps that i can do in my living room. and for the holiday dress-up thing, i partnered with old navy again this month and found an answer that doesn't require tights, a dress, and freezing off both of my legs (and bonus: it also helps me maintain my naptime-chic aesthetic): velvet pants + faux fur. i am really excited about this. usually around the holidays i brute force my fanciness with black jeans and a nondescript sweater but that tends to not feel fancy enough, so these velvet pants are my new nice uniform, and i'm pairing them with velvet flats that fit snuggly into a bag to be slipped on once i remove my snow boots inside. the faux fur is, yes, like a wearable blanket, and what completes this ensemble is some color by way of jewelry, colorful outerwear, and... marshmallows. is that a stretch? that's probably a stretch. i just feel like if you're going to be showing up at a party with a tray of treats, why *not* try and have them be as festive as your outfit??

or maybe i'm just really into the color combo of my new yellow hat and these naturally dyed hibiscus marshmallows. i'm so into all of it that we took my new warm festive look for a spin by climbing to the top of our grain leg for a little hot chocolate date! don't worry, it wasn't -28º on this day, just a balmy 6º or so. here is the view from our grain leg:

here is us being merry and bright:

and now let's talk marshmallows and cocoa! hibiscus is my new favorite natural food coloring. it's such a great shade of pink and it imparts a nice citrusy berry flavor that helps balance out the sweetness of a marshmallow. the first time i had hibiscus i knew its brightness would go well with nutty almond, so i went with two-tone bbs that help make the prettiest cup of hot chocolate you've ever done seen. and my new go-to hot chocolate is dead simple: good chocolate + a can of coconut milk. so easy. but you're going to want something easy after you spend an afternoon making these marshmallows, they are a bit labor intensive but look at them! i think they're worth it :)

hibiscus almond marshmallows

yields 20 massive marshmallows

ingredients

1/4 c powdered sugar

1/4 c cornstarch

1/2 c dried hibiscus leaves

1 3/4 c water

3/4 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

4 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 c sugar

1 c light corn syrup

1/4 tsp kosher salt

 

clues

in a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch. coat an 11" x 7" baking dish with cooking spray and dust the bottom and sides with half of the powdered sugar mixture. pour any excess mixture back into the bowl.

steep the hibiscus leaves in 1 cup boiling water, covered, for 20 minutes. strain out the hibiscus leaves and measure out the water. (It should be around 3/4 cup. add a little tap water or pour some out to make 3/4 cup.) Stick it in the fridge to allow to cool completely while you make the almond marshmallow layer. 

to make the almond marshmallow layer: in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine 1/2 cup of water (not the hibiscus water, just plain water), the almond extract, and vanilla. sprinkle 2 envelopes of gelatin over the liquid.

in a small saucepan, stir together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/4 cup more water (again, not the hibiscus water, just plain water). clip on a candy thermometer. heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it reaches 240ºf, then immediately remove it from the heat and bring it over to the mixer.

turn the mixer on low and drizzle the corn syrup mixture in a slow and steady stream down the side of the bowl. once the entire mixture is in, gradually increase the speed to high and let it mix for 7 to 10 minutes total, until lukewarm and fluffy. while the mixer is running, grease a rubber spatula and have that standing by the mixer, as well as the prepared pan.

using your greased spatula, immediately scrape the mixture into your pan and spread it out evenly as best you can with the spatula. set this aside while you make the hibiscus marshmallow layer.

clean and dry your mixer bowl, whisk attachment, spatula, and small saucepan.

now, make the hibiscus marshmallow layer: repeat the process but use the hibiscus water this time! in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add 1/2 cup of the hibiscus water and then sprinkle the remaining 2 envelopes of gelatin over the liquid. 

in a small saucepan, stir together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1/8 tsp salt, and the remaining 1/4 cup hibiscus water. clip on a candy thermometer. heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it reaches 240ºf, then immediately remove it from the heat and bring it over to the mixer. 

turn the mixer on low and drizzle the corn syrup mixture in a slow and steady stream down the side of the bowl. once the entire mixture is in, gradually increase the speed to high and let it mix for 7 to 10 minutes total, until lukewarm and fluffy. while the mixer is running, grease a rubber spatula and have that standing by the mixer, as well as the pan with the almond layer.

using your greased spatula, immediately scrape the mixture into your pan and spread it out evenly as best you can with the spatula. dust the top with about half of the remaining powdered sugar mixture.

let set for at least 1 hour. cut into squares and dust the edges of the squares with the remaining powdered sugar mixture. 

coconut hot chocolate

makes 2 to 4 servings

ingredients

1/2 c good semi sweet chocolate

1 can coconut milk (full fat or light)

clues

combine chocolate and coconut milk in a small saucepan. heat over medium heat until chocolate melts.

divide among mugs, top with marshmallows and enjoy!

-yeh!

pictured: sweater // pants // coat // shoes // gloves // hat // vest

thank you, old navy (@oldnavy), for sponsoring this post! post your own style tips with the #oldnavystyle hashtag! disclaimer: per my sponsor agreement, the product links in this post are affiliate links. 

pistachio chocolate krembos

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happy halloween! (more like challahween, amiright??) we had a pretty on-brand halloween weekend: cold, kind of damp, had to wear coats over our costumes. luckily! i had a mustard golden coat that went along with my costume. i was sheila. of sheila and dave. as in the town bagpipe player/edith wharton scholar/english professor and her husband dave, bagel maker/sugar beet truck driver/english professor. eggboy was the truck driver version of dave and wore a lumbersexual getup of plaid flannel with a vest over it and i was the edith wharton scholar version of sheila after a failed attempt to rig up a pillow and some drum sticks into a thing that resembled a bagpipe. i had this whole plan to have bagpipe music cued up on my phone so i could play it as we walked into sheila and dave's party, but in the end a homemade kraft paper book jacket for the house of mirth was about as crafty as my clumsy hands could get. it was a great party! cow farmers emily and evan arrived dressed as corn farmers, i ate a deviled egg, and someone brought a bag of potato chips in which every single chip in the bag was a wish chip. that's gotta be worth a million dollars, right? oh well i ate em all.

other highlights of this weekend included: voting (!!), making shaved brussels sprout pizza, running a really fast mile because i learned that if i not only listen to sia while i run but also watch her music videos on my phone it gives me even *more* energy, and shooting a squash hotdish with chantell and brett for an upcoming thanksgiving post that i'm really excited about. 

tomorrow my molly on the range tour resumes with a trip over to the west coast! i'm trying to figure out what to make of the weather... san francisco looks like it's going to be a comfortable sweater and clog situation, while los angeles is going to be in the 80s. i can't even remember what that feels like! i should probably bring my swimmy suit.....?? anywho, if you are in san francisco or san diego or los angeles i would love to see you and tattoo you. come eat pizza, hang with phyllis, chill on a farm with me and my gefilte manifesto friends, and get a book signed by the beach. it'll be fun! 

being home this week meant that i got to dig into some of the bunches of new cookbooks that i got this season. every night i sat with my book stack and plotted for brownie parties and squash suppers, birthday cakes and non-birthday cakes. it made me wish i had five stomachs. one of my favorite new things that i made this week was these pistachio chocolate krembos from amy kritzer's new book, sweet noshings. this book is so colorful and whimsical and features fun new twists on classic jewish desserts, like chocolate peanut butter babka and strawberry rosewater hamantaschen. there's also a whole passover chapter that is filled with manischewitz and sprinkles. yas, amy!!!

i have had krembos on my mind since chani posted a recipe for halva krembos last year. before that i had never heard of them, but they are basically israel's version of a mallomar and they're popular during the winter months as kind of a substitute for ice cream. (that would explain why i've never had them, since i somehow only end up in israel when it's a million trillion degrees.) krembos consist of a cookie topped with a blob of fluffy marshmallow and dunked in chocolate and they are the shape of 💩. amy's version incorporates pistachios, and you know i am all about pistachios.  

pistachio chocolate krembos

makes 18-20 cookies

from amy kritzer's sweet noshings

ingredients

for pistachio cookie base

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c powdered sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 c chilled unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1/2 c unsalted, shelled pistachios, plus more chopped for garnish

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

for marshmallow filling

6 egg whites

1 1/2 c granulated sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

for chocolate shell

1 package semisweet chocolate chips

3 tb coconut oil, butter, or canola oil

sprinkles for decorating, optional

clues

to make cookies, palce flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. then add butter, pistachios, egg, and vanilla. Pulse until pistachios are very fine and dough comes together. Form a log about 2 inches in diameter on wax paper, using the wax paper to help you mold it. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. If you are in a rush, freeze for 30 minutes.

preheat oven to 350ºf. Cut log into 1/4-inch slices, and bake on parchment paper-lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart, until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Cool.

while cookies are baking, make your filling. make sure the bowl and whisk are very clean and dry. make a double boiler with a pot or heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (not touching the water) and place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the top pot over simmering water over medium heat. whisk for 5 minutes, or until sugar has dissolved. do not let it boil. mixture should be frothy, warm, and not gritty. if you have a candy thermometer, it should be about 140ºf. remove from heat, transfer to a large heat-resistant bowl (or use the bowl it's already in) and beat with a stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment until thick, shiny, and stiff peaks form, 10 minutes or more. then beat in vanilla.

to make krembos, put filling in a pastry bag with a wide top or plastic bag with a wide tip. pipe onto cookies in a swirl, about 2 inches high, and freeze for at least 1 hour.

meanwhile, to make chocolate coating, melt chocolate and oil over medium heat in a double boiler until chocolate is melted and shiny.

dip chilled krembos in the chocolate (or just get messy and pour it on top) and top with extra pistachios (or sprinkles!). the chocolate should harden right away; refrigerate if not eating right away.

-yeh!