Valentineâs Day Heart Sâmores
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Chilling: 6 hours
Servings: 20
Ingredients:
Vanilla Marshmallows:
3 1/2 envelopes of unflavored Knox granulated gelatin (one envelope is 7grams/2tsp and 1/2tsp gelatin, recipe uses total of 8tsp and 3/4tsp)
1 cup cold water, divided
1/2 cup light corn syrup (or use 1/3 cup invert syrup)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
Egg White â Optional:
2 tsp meringue powder
2 tbsp warm water
Coating Mixture:
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Heart Graham Cracker:
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (237grams)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (45grams)
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed (75grams)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
8 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes (115grams)
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup honey (65grams)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Sâmores Sandwich:
10 oz dark chocolate â use Ghirardelli Dipping Wafers or Tempered Chocolate
Directions:
Vanilla Marshmallows:
Grease the bottom and sides of a 13Ă9-inch rectangular baking pan. You can also use a non- stick spray or soft butter, or even a little bit of oil. Set aside.
Pour cold water(1/2cup) into the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle gelatin(3 1/2 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin, 8 3/4tsp) over 1/2 cup of cold water and let it stand to soften/bloom.
In a 3-quart heavy, non-reactive saucepan, combine granulated sugar(2cups), corn syrup(1/2cup, or use 1/3cup invert syrup-recipe in the notes), cold water(1/2cup), and salt(1/4tsp). Heat the mixture on low to medium heat. Cover the pot for 4-5 minutes and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
After all of the sugar is dissolved, increase the temperature to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. DONâT STIR after this point. You may notice sugar particles sticking to the sides of the pan. Take a pastry brush, dip it in the water, and wash the sugar down with a pastry brush. Or alternatively cover the pan with a lid and let the syrup cook for 2-3 minutes. Condensation will wash down the sides of the pan clean.
Attach the candy thermometer inside the pan. If you notice any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan while the sugar syrup is cooking, be sure to wash them down with a pastry brush dipped in water.
Once sugar syrup reaches 240F immediately remove the pot from the heat. Pour hot sugar syrup down the sides of the bowl into the bloomed gelatin. The mixture will foam up. Stir it with a wooden spoon until the gelatin is completely dissolved. About 60 seconds.
Fit a mixer with a wire attachment. Start beating hot sugar syrup on medium speed. Be careful not to touch the bowl at this stage. It will be hot. Once the mixture starts to turn opaque, increase the speed to high. Beat until thick and tripled in volume. Then beat in Vanilla Extract. If desired, add gel food coloring.
Tip: It is important not to let the marshmallow mixture beat till cold. It will start to set up pretty quickly then. Look for a thick ribbon stage and then turn off the mixer and pour it into a prepared pan.
Egg Whites -Optional:
I often add egg whites to my marshmallows. They make marshmallows a bit fluffier.
In a small dish, combine meringue powder/dry egg whites (2tsp) and warm water (2tbsp). Beat with a small handheld whisk till soft peaks are formed.
Once the bowl with the marshmallow mixture is lukewarm to the touch on the outside and the marshmallow mixture is thick, white, and tripled in volume, gradually beat in soft peak egg whites and extracts. If desired, add gel food coloring at this point.
It is important not to let the marshmallow mixture beat till cold. It will start to set up pretty quickly. Look for a ribbon stage and then turn off the mixer and pour mixture into a prepared pan.
Fill the Baking Pan:
Pour all of the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan. Evenly spread it with a greased spatula. Let marshmallows set for 5-6 hours, and up to overnight.
Coating Mixture:
In a bowl combine powdered sugar (1/4cup) and corn starch (1/4cup). Set aside.
Cut Out Heart Marshmallows:
Dust a large cutting board with a coating sugar/starch mixture. Loosen the edges of marshmallow slab and invert set marshmallow slab onto a sugar/starch dusted surface. Generously dust the top of the marshmallow slab as well.
Spray a metal heart cookie cutter with a non-stick spray. Cut out as many hearts as possible. You might need to spray the cutter with a non-stick spray few times in the process. Alternatively, use oil or soft butter to grease the cutter. Use the same size cutter you used to cut out graham crackers.
Coat Marshmallows:
Coat the heart cut out marshmallows with a powdered sugar/corn starch mixture. Then, place coated marshmallows into a fine mesh sieve. Shake it to remove residue from the marshmallow cubes.
Storage:
Layer marshmallows into an airtight container. Place a piece of parchment between layers. Store in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks.
Graham Crackers
You can make graham crackers by hand or with a food processor.
In a medium bowl (or use a food processor*)combine Whole wheat pastry flour ( 1 3/4cup), all-purpose flour (1/3cup), brown sugar (1/3 cup, packed), baking powder (3/4tsp), baking soda (1/2tsp), cinnamon (1tsand salt (1/2tsp).
*Pulse to combine.
Add chilled butter cut up into cubes(8tbsp/1stick) and work the dough with your hands until it resembles cornmeal, set aside.
*If using a food processor, pulse until it resembles cornmeal.
In a small bowl, combine together milk (2tbsp), orange juice (1tbsp), honey (1/4cup), and vanilla extract (1tsp).
Pour all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir all ingredients together with a wooden spoon, then using your hands, form the dough into a ball, make a disk, wrap it in a plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
*If using a food processor, gradually pour liquid into the dry ingredients, while pulsing, until mixture is thoroughly moisten and when pressed with your fingers, it holds together. Donât over-mix it.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Roll the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper or use a Dough EZ Rolling System. Dust the work surface lightly with flour. Itâs okay to roll it out thinly, about 1/8 inch.
Cut out shapes with a heart cookie cutter ( I used a 2-inch heart cutter). Transfer cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Use a fork to poke holes into the cookies. Or if you have a small decorating comb, as I have, use it instead.
Re-roll scraps.
Before you place the second baking sheet into the oven, cut out small hearts from the cookies using a small about 3/4 inch heart cutter. You should have an equal amount of heart graham crackers with and without a heart cut out.
Bake at 350F for 12 -14 minutes, or until golden brown. Watch carefully so they donât burn. Thicker cookies need more baking time, thinner cookies will be done faster.
Let the cookies cool completely.
Heart Sâmores Sandwich:
Melt the chocolate.
Sandwich heart marshmallows between 2 heart graham crackers. Use melted chocolate to glue marshmallows onto the graham crackers. Then dip half of the heart sâmores into chocolate. Place freshly dipped sâmores onto a wax paper and let the chocolate harden before storing sâmores in an airtight container.
Notes:
DO YOU HAVE A RECIPE FOR INVERT SUGAR SYRUP?
Yes, here is Invert Sugar Syrup Recipe.
CAN I USE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR INSTEAD OF WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR?
Yes, you can; however, I prefer to use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. I find it less bitter than whole wheat flour.
WHY DO YOU USE ORANGE JUICE?
Orange juice helps to cut down on the bitterness of whole wheat flours.
CAN I USE HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKERS TO MAKE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST FOR A PIE?
Sure, follow your favorite recipe for graham cracker crust using baked homemade graham crackers.
To make heart cut outs, I used 2 inch heart cookie cutter and a small 3/4 inch heart cutter to cut out the center. Follow my recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of the post to make heart graham crackers.
Marshmallows can be made ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks.
STORAGE
Store Valentineâs Day Sâmores in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 10 days.
Serving Suggestion: microwave for 5-10 seconds and enjoy.
Recipe courtesy of Hanielas.com
