Make cool s’mores this summer

#Middlebury #S’mores

Don’t you love it when two seasonal treats collide and make the best summer dessert ever? If a s’more and an ice cream sandwich had a baby, it’d be this! A frozen s’more.

No campfire required; this inexpensive frozen s’more recipe is perfect for your Independence Day celebration, but you’ll enjoy making them all summer long.

Within this recipe, you’ll learn how to make chocolate ganache. With only two ingredients, simply chocolate and cream, this very versatile ganache can be a glaze, frosting, sauce, or filling for pastries simply by varying the ratio of chocolate to cream.

Frozen S’mores

Inexpensive frozen s’mores are the perfect summer treat. (www.JasonCoblentz.com)

Yield: 15 servings Time: 30 minutes, plus freezing

15 whole graham crackers (rectangles, not squares)

1 (1.75 quarts) carton vanilla ice cream

3 cups mini marshmallows

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Sprinkles or jimmies (optional)

1. Line a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with parchment or wax paper, leaving extra on the sides to act as a handle later, cutting the corners so the edges lay flat. Make sure you have room in your freezer for this size pan.
2. Break graham crackers into squares and place in a single layer covering the bottom of the pan and set aside. (I found 15 squares fit nicely.) Let the ice cream soften while you attend to the marshmallows.
3. Preheat your broiler to high. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Spread 3 cups mini marshmallows on the baking sheet and broil until deep brown, but not burned, about 30 seconds. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a rubber spatula and elbow grease), beat the ice cream on medium-low speed until softened. Add the toasted marshmallows and mix until just combined.
5. Spread the ice cream mixture evenly over the graham crackers. Place in the freezer. While it’s freezing, make the ganache.
6. Place 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in a mixing bowl. Heat 1 1/2 cups heavy cream in the microwave or stovetop until almost boiling. It’s ready when little bubbles appear on the sides of the cream. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let this stand, without touching, for 5 minutes. Then, gently stir the mixture with a spoon until it comes together in a smooth, glossy consistency. Keep stirring. It will come together, I promise.
7. When it comes together, ask the ganache where it’s been all your life and promise to make a batch later to eat with a spoon. Let ganache cool to room temperature.
8. When it’s cool, retrieve the ice cream, which has hopefully frozen again, and spread the ganache evenly over the ice cream layer. (Do this when alone in the kitchen so you can shamelessly lick the spoon.) Now carefully place the mates to your graham crackers on top of the ganache, press lightly and pop the whole thing in the freezer. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or better, overnight.

To serve: Remove from freezer. Using the parchment paper handles, lift your creation onto a cutting board. Cue angel choir. Using the graham crackers as a guide, cut into squares. Press into sprinkles if desired, wrap each serving in wax or parchment paper and freeze, or serve immediately.

Expect to make this time and time again over the summer because it’s frugal, it’s fabulous, it’s frozen and you’re going to love every single, sticky, scrumptious bite.

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website “Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous!” Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com

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