Make Ahead Brownie S'Mores (small batch)

 

With their digestive shortbread like cookie crust, rich chocolate fudge brownie and ooey gooey marshmallow topping these rich and decadent puddings are sure to please!  They are super easy to make and can be made quite far in advance right up to the marshmallow topping which makes this a delicious dessert option for the weekend or for when you are entertaining!

S'mores for those who don't know are a bit of a tradition in America when it comes to cookouts and campfires. Much beloved by children and adults alike, they are composed of two graham crackers sandwiched together with a hot marshmallow, having been toasted over an open fire, and a block of chocolate.  The heat from the marshmallow melts the chocolate and you have a delicious ooey gooey delight that is much enjoyed!

They are very American, I think. I never heard of anyone having them here in Canada and they certainly were nothing that I enjoyed in my childhood. Maybe I was deprived!!

 

Deprived no longer, I found this delicious sounding brownie riff on the S'mores campfire treat on a page called Cafe Sucre Farine.  Not only did it look fantastic, but it sounded very simple to make and incredibly tasty!

  

I did adapt the recipe to make only three servings which cook in three six-ounce ramekins. If you are wanting to make more by all means check out the original recipe!

I am going to make the larger batch when I have some grandchildren around to help eat them!  In the meantime, this small batch will have to do me!

Incredibly deliciously moreish and more than a tad decadent, they only seem complicated. They are in fact one of the simpler desserts you can make!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE "MAKE-AHEAD' BROWNIE S'MORES

It looks like a lot of stuff, but there are three layers to this delicious dessert. Nothing needed is very complicated at all.  I like that.

For the digestive base:

• 1 1/2 TBS (22g) salted butter, melted
• 3 digestive biscuits (or 1 double graham cracker)
• 1 TBS icing sugar
• 2 1/2 TBS (20g) all-purpose plain flour

For the fudge brownie layer:

• 2 TBS (29g) butter
• 1/4 cup (45g) good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 TBS (3 1/2 g) cocoa powder, unsweetened (not drink mix)
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch kosher salt
• 1 large free range egg yolk (freeze the white for another use)
• 2 TBS (16g) all-purpose plain flour
• 3 squares of a milk chocolate bar

You will also need:

• a handful of mini marshmallows for each ramekin
• 3 small snack sized milk chocolate bars

 

The original recipe used graham crackers. I much prefer the flavor of a digestive biscuit over a graham cracker, and Digestive biscuits are readily available both here and, in the U.K. so they work great. Icing sugar is also known as powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar.

I used Kirkland brand semi-sweet chocolate chips. The PC decadent ones are also nice. You can use whatever semi-sweet chocolate chips you have available to you. Do use a quality one, however. You get what you pay for.  Don't mistake chocolate drink powder for cocoa powder. They are not the same thing at all. Cocoa powder is unsweetened and has nothing added.

I used a small milk chocolate bar that I broke off three small squares to stick in the middle of the brownies. Any milk chocolate bar will do, so long as the squares are smallish.

True confessions here, I did not have any mini marshmallows. I did have a huge bag of the larger ones however and so I used them. I used a pair of kitchen scissors to cut them into smaller pieces.  I used about 3 cut up for each brownie.

I had exactly three pieces left of a Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar which was perfect for popping on top of the hot marshmallows.

 

HOW TO MAKE "MAKE-AHEAD" BROWNIE S'MORES

These are a lot easier to make than you might suppose.  They actually go together very quickly. Add to that the convenience of being able to make them ahead and you have one very simple to make and yet impressive dessert!

Preheat the oven (not fan) to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter three six-oz ramekins really well. Set onto a small baking tray.

Put your digestive biscuits (or crackers) into a zip lock baggie and crush them with a rolling pin until they are fine crumbs. Put into a small bowl.

Add the icing sugar and flour. Add the melted butter and stir everything together with a fork until well blended. Divide between the three ramekins and tamp down with the blunt end of a rolling pin or the flat bottom of a glass.

 

Put the chocolate chips and butter for the brownie together in a bowl. Cook in the microwave for 30 seconds. Leave to stand for a minute then whisk together to melt the chocolate. Mix evenly together.

Stir in the sugar and the cocoa powder to combine. Stir in the vanilla and the egg yolk. Everything should be evenly mixed. Whisk in the flour just to combine. No white streaks should remain.

Divide the chocolate batter evenly between the three ramekins, spooning it in over top of the digestive crust.  Push a small square of chocolate into the center of each.

Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes. They are done when the tops are shiny and dry.

 

If making ahead of time leave to cool on a wire rack before proceeding as below. If serving right away, proceed as below.

Increase the oven temperature to 300*F/200*C/gas mark 6.

Top each brownie with a handful of mini marshmallows. It should cover the brownie and be mounded slightly in the middle.

Bake in the preheated oven for 3 to 5 minutes until the marshmallows have puffed up and started to brown.

Tuck a mini chocolate bar into the top of each and enjoy immediately!

 

Oh my goodness this was such a delicious dessert. I told myself I was only going to have a small taste and before I knew it I had eaten the whole pot!  The digestive biscuit shortbread crust was buttery and almost nutty flavored.  The brownie topping with the hidden surprise of a chocolate in the middle was rich and fudgy. 

Don't get me started on the marshmallow topping. So yummy, especially with a square of chocolate melting into their ooey gooeyness!

These are the perfect weekend indulgence!

  

Are you as big a fan of Brownies as I am?  I have never met a Brownie that I did not like. Seriously. Here are a few other favorites of mine!  I bet you would also enjoy them!

MOCHACHINO BROWNIES WITH A WHITE MOCHA SAUCE - Rich and indulgent, these moist dense and fudgy brownies are flavored with coffee and generously studded with chocolate chips. They make a fabulous dessert served with this white mocha sauce and some toasted pecans sprinkled on top.  Rich and decadent.

PEPPERMINT BROWNIES - Mint and chocolate are a flavor combination made in heaven. There is a double whammy of peppermint flavor in the batter.  One form comes from peppermint tea that you blitz with the sugar.  The second peppermint blast comes from the use of peppermint extract. Soooo good!  They have a sweet and glistening chocolate ganache topping. This is decorated with a melted white chocolate drizzle that you run a toothpick through to give it an extra pretty finish. 

Yield: 3 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Make Ahead Brownie S'mores (small batch)

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 28 MinTotal time: 48 Min

These delightful little pots boast a digestive shortbread crust underneath a rich chocolate filled fudgy brownie. Mini marshmallows are added prior to serving and toasted until ooey gooey. You can make them ahead up to the point of adding the marshmallow topping.

Ingredients

For the digestive base:

• 1 1/2 TBS (22g) salted butter, melted
• 3 digestive biscuits (or 1 double graham cracker)
• 1 TBS icing sugar
• 2 1/2 TBS (20g) all-purpose plain flour

For the fudge brownie layer:

• 2 TBS (29g) butter
• 1/4 cup (45g) good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 TBS (3 1/2 g) cocoa powder, unsweetened (not drink mix)
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch kosher salt
• 1 large free range egg yolk (freeze the white for another use)
• 2 TBS (16g) all-purpose plain flour
• 3 squares of a milk chocolate bar

You will also need:

• a handful of mini marshmallows for each ramekin
• 3 small snack sized milk chocolate bars

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven (not fan) to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter three six-oz ramekins really well. Set onto a small baking tray.
2. Put your digestive biscuits (or crackers) into a zip lock baggie and crush them with a rolling pin until they are fine crumbs. Put into a small bowl.
3. Add the icing sugar and flour. Add the melted butter and stir everything together with a fork until well blended. Divide between the three ramekins and tamp down with the blunt end of a rolling pin or the flat bottom of a glass.
4. Put the chocolate chips and butter for the brownie together in a bowl. Cook in the microwave for 30 seconds. Leave to stand for a minute then whisk together to melt the chocolate. Mix evenly together.
5. Stir in the sugar and the cocoa powder to combine. Stir in the vanilla and the egg yolk. Everything should be evenly mixed. Whisk in the flour just to combine. No white streaks should remain.
6. Divide the chocolate batter evenly between the three ramekins, spooning it in over top of the digestive crust.
7. Push a small square of chocolate into the center of each.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes. They are done when the tops are shiny and dry.
9. If making ahead of time leave to cool on a wire rack before proceeding as below. If serving right away, proceed as below.
10. Increase the oven temperature to 300*F/200*C/gas mark 6.
11. Top each brownie with a handful of mini marshmallows. It should cover the brownie and be mounded slightly in the middle.
12. Bake in the preheated oven for 3 to 5 minutes until the marshmallows have puffed up and started to brown.
13. Tuck a mini chocolate bar into the top of each and enjoy immediately!

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