Description
Homemade s’mores made with Ghirardelli chocolate caramel squares and from-scratch peanut butter marshmallows!
Ingredients
Scale
For Coating the Marshmallow Pan:
- Softened butter or nonstick spray
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the Marshmallows:
- ¾ cup cold water, divided
- 3 (1-oz) envelopes of unflavored gelatin
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste/extract
For the S’mores:
- Creamy or crunchy peanut butter
- Graham crackers
- Ghirardelli chocolate caramel squares
Instructions
For the Marshmallow Pan:
- Liberally grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Whisk together the powdered sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and then dust the greased dish all over with the mixture.
- You want the bottom and all sides of the dish well and evenly coated.
- Set aside.
For the Marshmallows:
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add ½ cup of the cold water and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Allow to sit, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. This allows the gelatin to “bloom.”
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining ¼ cup cold water.
- Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring to help the sugar dissolve.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the thermometer reads 240°F, about 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the stand mixer on the lowest speed and VERY CAREFULLY and slowly stream in the hot sugar mixture to the gelatin mixture in the bowl.
- Once all of the hot sugar mixture has been added and somewhat incorporated, gradually increase the speed of your mixer to high.
- Beat on high for 5 minutes, or until the mixture has started to grow in volume. Stop the mixer and add in the peanut butter and vanilla bean paste/extract.
- Continue beating the mixture on high for another 5-7 minutes or until it has doubled in volume, is glossy and white, and can hold stiff peaks.
- Grease a spatula and use it to help pour the mixture from the bowl into the prepared baking dish. Smooth out the top as much as possible with the greased spatula.
- Dust the top of the marshmallow mixture with a tiny bit of powdered sugar and then lightly cover the dish with plastic wrap.
- Allow the marshmallows to sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours, or until they are set and firm (a little jiggle is good!).
- Dip a sharp knife in powdered sugar and run it around the edges of the pan. Carefully invert the marshmallows onto a surface dusted with powdered sugar. Use the knife to slice the marshmallow into squares.
- If your marshmallows are excessively sticky, dust them lightly with powdered sugar. Leftover marshmallows can sit at room temperature, well wrapped, for up to a week.
For the S’mores:
- Toast the marshmallows over an open flame or using a kitchen torch.
- Sandwich the marshmallows between graham crackers, a schmear of peanut butter, and the chocolate squares. Eat while warm!
- Cook Time: 25 minutes (plus 3 hours inactive rest time)
- Category: dessert
Keywords: s'mores, homemade marshmallows, homemade peanut butter marshmallows, peanut butter marshmallows, Ghirardelli caramel squares