S'mores are certainly not for the faint hearted, but just occasionally it's fun to embrace the sweeter things in life and it doesn't come more sugary than this! Traditionally a S'more consists of one or two toasted marshmallows and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of Graham crackers.

The marshmallow should be gooey but not burnt, but, depending on individual preference and cooking time, marshmallows can range from barely warm to charred.

 

 

We wanted to create something that was even more indulgent and exciting and decided that marshmallows embedded within a decadent blondie style filling was the way to go! We love how gooey the marshmallows become and even start to look like and taste like caramelised honeycomb.

 

Enjoy this supremely decadent treat around a bonfire, or a cosy fire at home or if you're having any kind of halloween party- this is a fabulous treat the whole family and all your friends will enjoy. Traditional marshmallows contain gelatin which isn't vegan but you can find the most delicious vegan marshmallows on Amazon from a company called Dandies which we highly recommend. 

 

S'more Blondies

(Makes 12 small bars)

115 g melted vegan butter
100g light Muscovado sugar
65g coconut sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
220g All Purpose Flour (we love Shipton Mill)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
100g vegan chocolate chips
100g vegan marshmallows

Instructions:

 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted vegan butter, brown sugar, vanilla and almond milk until smooth.

 

Next, sift in the flflour, baking powder and salt and mix with a large wooden spoon until combined.

 

Add roughly 2/3 of the batter into the pan and push it down evenly with your hands or using a spatula.

 

Sprinkle about 3/4 of the chocolate chips onto the batter, followed by the marshmallows evenly distributed on top of the chocolate chips.

 

Spread the rest of the batter on top as evenly as you can, as well as the rest of the chocolate chips.

 

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. The marshmallows will look like they are exploding and bursting out of the blondies and will take on an irresistible honeycomb- like dimension and texture. These are best enjoyed straight out of the oven but will still be delicious for a few days after baking!

 

Pumpkin spiced Hot Chocolate

 

We are massive fans of hot chocolate in our household and sometimes it can be a great replacement for coffee when we are trying to cut down a bit on our caffeine intake. After picking up quite a few gorgeous looking pumpkins and squashes at the farm park a few weekends ago we decided to experiment with a pumpkin spiced version of both a hot chocolate and a latté. We roasted half of a small pumpkin and then pureed the flesh. We were then able to add it to a delicious hot chocolate recipe with a load of other spices and the adaptogen maca powder. We highly recommend ditching the commercial sickly sweet instant hot chocolates you find in the supermarkets for your own home made version. It doesn't take long to make and is far more interesting and satisfying. we love using Rude Health's Almond milk- Barrista versions of any kind of plant or nut milk would work very nicely here. 

 

 

Here's our recipe but you can decide for yourself which spices you might like to include, and other adaptogens like lucuma powder or baobab powder could also work nicely here too. We loved topping it with Dandies Vanilla flavoured vegan marshmallows and some cacao nibs which offer a nice slight bitter crunch to offset the sweet flavour and super pillowy soft texture of the marshmallows.

 

 

Pumpkin Spiced Hot Chocolate

180ml Almond Milk
2 tbsp (30g) pumpkin purée
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla powder or extract
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cacao powder
1 tsp maca powder
10g vegan dark chocolate, chopped very small

 

To Serve: Vegan Marshmallows and Cacao Nibs

 

Instructions:

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and whisk while heating until fully combined and creamy.

Pour into a glass or your favourite mug and top with some marshmallows cut into small pieces, crushed dark chocolate or cacao nibs.