Recipe: These S’Mores Brownies bring home the taste of camp

The chocolate brownies are baked on a graham cracker crust and topped with miniature marshmallows.

My grandkids can’t seem to get enough of s’mores-themed goodies. The chefs at America’s Test Kitchen came up with these S’Mores Brownies in time for our Halloween baking.  A hefty graham-cracker crust at the bottom supports the brownie layer above. And to capture that campfire component, a top layer of miniature marshmallows toast in the oven under the broiler.

Two things. Be sure to use a metal baking pan and not a glass baking dish in this recipe. And two, when the marshmallow topped beauty goes under the broiler, keep a watchful eye on it.

S’Mores Brownies

Yield: 16 brownies

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

6 whole graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (3/4 cup)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar

Brownies:

8 tablespoons ( one stick) unsalted butter

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup (3 1/3 ounces) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make foil sling for 8-inch square metal baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up the sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil.

2. For the crust: Using your fingers, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar in bowl until evenly moistened. Sprinkle mixture into prepared pan and press firmly into even layer. Bake until firm and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. For the brownies: While crust is baking, microwave butter and chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring often, until melted and smooth, 1 to 3 minutes; let cool slightly.

4. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a second bowl. Whisk sugar, eggs, and vanilla together in large bowl. Whisk chocolate mixture into sugar mixture until combined. Using rubber spatula, stir in flour mixture until just incorporated.

5. Transfer batter to pan with crust and smooth top. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 22 to 27 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Remove pan from oven and heat broiler.

6. Sprinkle brownies evenly with a single layer of marshmallows. Return brownies to oven and broil until marshmallows are lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes. (Watch oven constantly; marshmallows will melt slightly but should hold their shape.) Immediately remove pan from oven. Let brownies cook completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.

7. Using foil overhang, remove brownies from pan. Slide foil out from under brownies. Spray knife with vegetable oil spray to prevent marshmallows from sticking. Cut into 16 squares. Serve.

Source: “Everything Chocolate” from America’s Test Kitchen

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com.