S'mores Bars

It's summer. Growing up, summer meant lots of bonfires. We'd sit around the fire pit for hours, whether we were out camping with the family or in a friend's backyard.

We'd have hot dogs and hobo dinners, those classic meals wrapped in tin foil and filled with any veggies or meats we had on hand. We'd have to sit close to the fire to cook. We'd get hot and impatient. Sometimes we'd eat our food lukewarm (we were lucky it was generally pre-cooked), but nice smoky flavor from the fire still made it's way into each of our dishes.

With dinner done, we'd move on to my favorite course. Dessert.

It was almost always s'mores.

Gooey. Loaded with chocolate. Stuffed with two marshmallows (for good measure) that were golden and puffed. Layered in between graham crackers.

Delicious.

Living in the city really limits my access to authentic s'mores, cooked over the fire and enjoyed outdoors.

I miss them. I can't help it.

So I decided to bring s'mores inside, in handy bar form, so I could enjoy them more often. They're not quite the same, they've got all the same flavors as that classic outdoor s'more, and they are much, much less messy. And, I added in bittersweet chocolate. Plus a brownie layer for good measure.

Take one bite, and I promise, you'll want s'more. 

S'mores Bars
recipe adapted from Lulu the Baker

Ingredients
Crust: 
16 sheets graham crackers
1/2 cup salted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Brownies:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Toppings:
3 heaping cups mini marshmallows
6 ounces milk chocolate
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides of a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Prepare the crust: Pulse graham crackers in the food processor until fine crumbs are formed. Add the melted butter and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Pulse the mixture to combine, distributing the butter evenly.

Press the graham cracker mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan, using an upside down measuring cup to firmly press the mixture in.

Make the brownies: In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and cocoa powder, mixing well until the ingredients are combined. Add the eggs. Stir the mixture until the eggs are just incorporated. Add the flour, vanilla and salt, and whisk the ingredients together until the flour is just combined.

Pour the brownie batter over the graham crackers, and spread it evenly.

Bake and top: Bake the brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, until the center of the pan is set.

Remove the pan from the oven briefly. Top the pan with three generous cups of mini marshmallows, and return the pan to the oven. Continue to cook the brownies, checking the pan regularly for 3 to 5 more minutes, until the marshmallows puff and turn light brown.

Remove the pan from the oven again. Top the marshmallows with milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate chips, distributing the two evenly over the marshmallows.

Return the pan to the oven for 1 minute, and then remove it. If necessary, spread the chocolate chips a bit to cover the marshmallows.

Allow the s'mores bars to cool completely. These are delicious the day they are made and perhaps even tastier the next day!

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