The Most AMAZING S’mores Popcorn!
This. Popcorn. Is. AMAZING!!! I’m not even sure I need to write anymore. You gotta try this! It’s just soooo good.
I’ve always loved eating marshmallows in their original yummy state and I’ve always loved roasting marshmallows, but not eating them! They just become too rich. So, as much as I’ve always loved making s’mores at the cottage, I usually make them for others. This is different!! The saltiness of the popcorn helps to break up all that heavy sweetness that comes with a traditional s’more. I think my nieces and nephews will go crazy for this popcorn. I can’t wait to make it for them (unless they make it for themselves first!)!
My kids have the same marshmallow gene as me. My son would eat marshmallows all day if I let him. I knew this recipe would be a hit! I bought a bag of Smartfood buttered popcorn to help save me some time. Initially, I was worried that with all the ingredients and the 1/2 cup of butter that is in the mix, that it would be too much, but it was perfect.
You start out by putting all of the dry ingredients into a big bowl like this:
The original recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips. But, milk chocolate and marshmallows are a match made in candy heaven. So, I bought a big Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bar and cut it up into chunks. There’s a full bag of popcorn under all that goodness, by the way. 🙂
Enjoy!!
The Most AMAZING S'mores Popcorn!
Equipment
- Candy Thermometer
Ingredients
- 10 cups store-bought popcorn This equals an entire bag of popcorn
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup milk chocolate chunks The original recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups lightly crushed graham crackers
- 1 stick or 1/2 cup salted butter The original recipe calls for unsalted butter, but I didn't have any. I cut back on the salt by half a teaspoon.
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup light or golden will work
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Cooking oil spray to coat a spatula for stirring mixture
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat mat.
- Place the popcorn, marshmallows, chocolate chunks and crushed graham crackers in a large bowl; do not combine yet.
- Combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the butter is melted and the ingredients are completely combined, about 5 minutes.
- Continue to boil the sugar, no longer stirring, until it reaches the firm-ball* stage, 245 degrees F. Remove the sugar from the heat and add the salt and baking soda**.
- Spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray. Immediately pour the sugar over the popcorn mixture and, using the greased spatula, carefully fold all the ingredients together.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly browned and crispy and the chocolate and marshmallows are fully melted, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool at least 20 minutes before eating. Allow the popcorn to sit for about an hour, so that it can set up completely before covering it to store.
Notes
Marshmallow Easter Pops!
The first time I made these was for my daughter’s 3rd birthday, this past year. I knew she would love them because she’s crazy about marshmallows! She actually thought these were her birthday cake, until her amazing Octonauts themed cake arrived. I’ve made these marshmallow pops many times, for different reasons. They’re tedious, but worth the effort. Here’s what happened…
This is an oasis. Florists use these for bouquets, which I’m sure you already know. My husband has always been good about sending me flowers and this is from one of those moments. For my last birthday, he sent me a bouquet that looked like a cake! I saved this oasis because I knew I could use it for something just like this! If you don’t have an oasis, you can use a styrofoam cake form.
You’ll want to cover it well with tin foil.
I chose Easter colors for these pops. Not shown in the picture are the very important marshmallows and lollipop sticks! You can get all of these ingredients at your local Bulk Barn, or most cake decorating stores.
If you can, melt all the chocolates you plan to use at once. Will save you time. This step in your marshmallow pop process is fairly important, as you can overheat chocolate pretty easily. These are make-shift double boilers, and they work perfectly. You want to make sure that the water in each pot isn’t touching the bowl that is sitting on it. To begin, turn your heat to medium, to get the process started. Once you see any steam coming out the sides of the bowl, you can remove it from the heat.
This is an example of the pink wafer chocolate I had melting. It’s off the heat at this point, and there is plenty of internal heat in this chocolate to help melt this chocolate down. It’s important to remove your chocolate at around this stage, so that it keeps a loose, velvety consistency once melted. If overheated, it can remain thick, almost burnt. I’ve done this! To keep the consistency where you want it, leave it to sit on a double boiler, that’s off the heat, while you dip your marshmallows. This will keep it from seizing.
First thing you want to do is dip your lollipop stick into the chocolate before you insert it into the marshmallow. The will ensure that your marshmallow doesn’t slip around the stick after being dipped. It sets it. It’s an important step.
Skewer your marshmallow onto the stick until you can feel the tip at the top of the marshmallow, but you can’t see it. You don’t want the stick to pierce the other end of the marshmallow.
Coat each marshmallow fairly quickly. You don’t want it sitting in warm chocolate, or it will begin to melt and its shape will change. This is the tedious part. You will want to make sure enough of the chocolate has drained off before you coat the marshmallows, or you will have a drippy, chocolatey mess.
Next step. Coating. I chose various sprinkles for all of my marshmallows this time around.
This is what you want. It can stand upright and has set enough that it isn’t dripping. It’s good to go!
I don’t know any kid that wouldn’t love the sight of these! Take the time, and make these. Especially, if you have little people in your world!
Here’s what you need to do…
Marshmallow Easter Pops!
1 bag marshmallows
1 cup each, pink, yellow, and purple chocolate wafers
Variety of sprinkles for coating
Lollipop sticks
Melt the chocolates over a double boiler until melted. Coat the tips of each lollipop stick, as you skewer each marshmallow, with the chocolate you will be using for dipping. Dip each marshmallow into the chocolate and tap off any excess. Coat with desired topping.
Enjoy!! Happy Easter!
(Source: Adapted from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/marshmallow-pops.html)
Milk Choco Chunk Cookies
Seemed appropriate that my first post on my blog be cookies, since I bake so many of them! This recipe is your basic cookie dough recipe, and you can substitute any chocolate or add other yummy additions! Unless you’re adding oatmeal, as you would then need to adjust your flour. In this recipe, I used 2 Dairy Milk chocolate bars because that’s what I had at home. I was going to just eat some of the chocolate with my tea, but with a sick 3 year old napping upstairs, I decided to bake her some cookies to wake up to instead. Here is what happened….
Cut up chocolate last to ensure you still have some left by the time you need to add it into the batter! 🙂 Of course, I added this picture first as a reminder to do it last. Make sense? I thought so.
Mmmmmm…that is all.
If you don’t have this tool, get it. It comes in several different sizes. This one here is the 1 1/2 tablespoon size. The best tool I’ve ever had for drop cookies!
See how perfectly uniform each cookie is? Makes me happy. Note to self: Get silpat in prettier colour.
Unless you need to bake up the whole batch, freeze some for later! Place a tray with parchment or waxed paper, scoop as many on the tray as you’d like to freeze. Place in the freezer to firm up, about 20 minutes. Note to self: Rotate camera.
Ta-da! I only made a dozen and froze the rest. There are only 4 left since I made them yesterday. I know my husband has had none, my daughter has had two, that means…. This is why it’s a good idea to freeze some for later!
Once the risk of each cookie touching the other and sticking together and destroying any chance of future cookies has passed (aka they’re frozen enough), place them in a freezer bag and put them in your freezer for the next time you have a cookie craving!
Here’s what you need to do:
Do your ‘mise en place’ and get all of your ingredients ready before you start. You will thank yourself later. Or, thank me now. You’re welcome!
Milk Choco Chunk Cookies
1 cup softened butter*
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs**
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 milk chocolate bars of your choice cut up into chunks (I used Dairy Milk)
Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream your butter and add both sugars until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and beat about one minute. Next, add your salt and baking soda, which you can combine with your flour and add slowly all together. I’ve added the salt and baking soda separately from the flour, as well. Both work. Make sure all dry ingredients have been added and well mixed before you add your chocolate, which is your last ingredient.
Scoop your cookies onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. If making smaller cookies, adjust your time by one or two minutes. Transfer to a wired rack and let cool.
Enjoy!
*I used salted butter in this recipe because that is what I had on hand. This is really a personal preference, in my opinion. If you feel more comfortable using unsalted butter, go for it! I haven’t felt the need to adjust the salt in this recipe.
**Don’t crack your eggs directly into your batter. You don’t want to risk getting egg shell into your batter or possibly a bad egg.
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