Chocolate Peanut Butter S’mores

I’d love to tell you a cute story about my weekend, but I’m trying to beat the buzzer getting this posted on Sunday. TL;DR: Erik visited, which made it my absolute favorite weekend of the summer, despite working over the holiday. Now for some baking!

First, make the peanut butter cookies. Start by grinding up the peanuts in a small food processor.

n a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolk and beat to combine.

Add the maple syrup and ground peanuts and beat to incorporate.

Add the flour and salt and beat until dough comes together.

Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Roll dough out until 1/4 inch thick and cut into circles. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 375°F for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool on sheet. Transfer to wire rack and spread half of the cookies with chunky peanut butter.

Next up, make some marshmallow. Start by mixing 3 tablespoons of the water with the gelatin in a small dish. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the water, the sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla seeds. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves, stirring. Then stop stirring and increase heat to medium high, bringing to a simmer.

While that’s simmering, whisk the egg white by hand until stiff peaks form. Then put it in the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and continue beating.

When the mixture in the saucepan turns light amber, remove from heat and stir in the gelatin mixture. Then, slowly pour into the running stand mixer over the egg white. LEave beating for about 15 minutes, until bowl has cooled.

Immediately spoon mixture into a bag with the tip cut off. Pipe not the cookies not yet coated with peanut butter.

Smush each with a peanut butter coated cookie and allow to set for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring occasionally.

Dip the marshmallow side of each cookie into the chocolate and set on wire rack to harden.

Ta-da! S’mores cookies! Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter S’mores

Ingredients:

Cookies

• 1/2 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/3 cup + 1 teaspoon (75g) sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/3 cup (50g) roasted unsalted peanuts, ground
• 2 cups + 1 tablespoon (260g) flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

Marshmallow

• 1 1/2 teaspoon powdered gelatin
• 1/3 cup cold water, divided
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (90g) sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• seeds from 1/4 vanilla bean
• 1 egg white

Topping

• 4 1/2 ounces dark chocolate

Directions:

Cookies

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the egg yolk and beat to combine.
3. Beat in the maple syrup and ground peanuts.
4. Add the flour and salt and beat until dough comes together. Flatten dough into disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
5. Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut 2 inch circles and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake at 375°F for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool completely on baking sheet.
7. Spread 1/2 of the cookies with peanut butter.

Marshmallow

1. Put gelatin and 3 tablespoons of the water in a small dish. Set aside.
2. Combine remaining water, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar melts.
3. Increase heat to medium high and bring to simmer.
4. Meanwhile, beat egg white by hand until stiff peaks form. Transfer to bowl of stand mixer and continue beating with whisk attachment.
5. When sugar mixture has turned light amber, remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture. Pour into running stand mixer and continue mixing for about 15 minutes, until bowl has cooled.
6. Immediately transfer marshmallow into a plastic bag with the corner cut off. Pipe onto the cookies not spread with peanut butter.
7. Place a peanut butter cookie on top of each and smush lightly. Allow to set for 30 minutes.

Topping

1. Heat chocolate in heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted.
2. Dip marshmallow side of cookies into chocolate. Set on wire rack over parchment paper to set.