Gourmet S'more Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until very fine crumbs form (about 1–2 minutes).

3. Transfer crumbs to a bowl, add melted butter, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt. Stir until evenly moistened and resembling wet sand.

4. Spread crumb mixture in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes, stirring once halfway, until crisp and slightly toasted. Remove and cool completely. Reserve 1/2 cup for garnish.

5. Chop chocolate finely and place in a heatproof bowl.

6. In a small saucepan, combine heavy cream and ancho chile powder. Heat gently over medium-low until it just begins to simmer and the ancho is aromatic, about 2–3 minutes. Do not boil.

7. Pour the hot spiced cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit undisturbed for 1 minute to melt, then whisk gently from center outward until smooth and glossy.

8. Whisk in the cold cubed butter, vanilla extract, and a pinch of kosher salt until fully incorporated and silky. If ganache is too thin, let it cool slightly to thicken to a spreadable consistency. Keep warm (or rewarm very gently) before assembling.

9. Prepare gelatin: sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over the gelatin in a small bowl and let bloom for 5–10 minutes.

10. If you haven't already concentrated porter: simmer about 1/2 cup porter in a small saucepan until reduced to roughly 2 tablespoons and slightly syrupy (about 10–15 minutes). Cool slightly. Use 1 tablespoon of this reduction for flavor.

11. In a small saucepan combine 2 tablespoons water, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons light corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil without stirring. Clip a candy thermometer to the pan and cook syrup to 240°F (115°C; soft-ball stage).

12. Once syrup reaches 240°F, remove from heat. Add the bloomed gelatin and the porter reduction, stirring until dissolved and homogeneous.

13. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl and electric beaters), start whisking the gelatin-syrup mixture on low, then increase to high. Whisk until thick, glossy and nearly tripled in volume, and the mixture holds stiff peaks (7–10 minutes).

14. Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt during the last 30 seconds of whipping and mix briefly to incorporate.

15. Transfer the marshmallow to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or spoon into lightly oiled mini molds). Pipe or spoon into 12 even portions on a tray dusted with a little graham soil to prevent sticking. Let set at room temperature until firm, about 2 hours (or refrigerate briefly to speed up).

16. If you prefer a toasted exterior, carefully toast the prepared porter-infused marshmallows over a flame (kitchen torch or open flame) until golden and slightly charred. Alternatively, use store-bought marshmallows and toast them.

17. On a serving plate or in a shallow bowl, spread a thin layer of the graham cracker soil to create a bed.

18. Place a toasted marshmallow on top of a small smear (about 1 tablespoon) of ancho-chocolate ganache so the ganache adheres to the bottom of the marshmallow. Spoon or pipe an additional dollop (about 1 tablespoon) of ganache over the top of each marshmallow if desired for contrast.

19. Sprinkle a pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) of smoked sea salt over the ganache on each s'more. Scatter extra graham cracker soil around for texture.

20. Serve immediately so marshmallow is warm and ganache slightly melty. For a plated dessert, add an extra drizzle of cooled ganache and a small pinch of smoked sea salt to finish.