Grown Up S’mores photo by arajane (via Flickr creative commons)

Welcome to my summer blogcation series featuring Nashville area bloggers! Today’s guest post is from Calie at Broccoli Cupcake, my road trip buddy on a recent trip to Louisville for the GE Momsperience blogger event and one of the Denver 5 from Nashville. I was snowed in with her in Denver during the great blizzard of 2011 (OK so it was a spring snowstorm which for us Nashville girls might as well be a freaking blizzard.) Calie may be healthy, but I know the girl loves her chocolate.

Yes, I’m a healthy living blogger, but I still like to indulge once in awhile.  One of my biggest weaknesses is S’mores.  There’s just something about the combination of fluffy, toasty marshmallows slowly melting a square of sweet square of chocolate between two crunchy graham crackers that I can’t say no to.

Unfortunately, this generally brings some ridicule from our friends.  I can’t blame them.  I’ve been known to steal the last marshmallow from a toddler in the name of just one more S’more!  This summer, I decided to find a slightly more grown up way to enjoy my S’mores.  At least for occasions when we’re entertaining new friends who might questions my choice to steal sweets from children or walk around with chocolate smeared up my cheeks.

In the interest of social acceptance….here is my favorite recipe for grown up S’mores, which includes Cognac.  Doesn’t get much more grown up than that.

Chocolate filling ingredients:

• 8 large egg yolks


• 1 ½ cups of confectioners’ sugar sifted


• 2 tablespoons white crème e cacao


• 2 tablespoons Kahlua


• 2 teaspoons Cognac


• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


• 1/8 teaspoon salt


• 2 sticks of unsalted butter


• 2 tablespoons of Dutch-Processed cocoa powder (if you can’t find that any cocoa powder will do)


• 12 ounces of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)


• 1 ½ cups of heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Marshmallow fluff meringue:

• 3 large egg whites


• Pinch of salt


• Pinch of cream of tartar


• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract


• 1 cup of marshmallow fluff

Graham cracker crust:

(If you’re short on time you can buy the premade version, but I think make it all homemade really makes a big difference in the taste)

• 3 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs


• 1 stick unsalted butter  (melted)


• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 350.  Start by making the crust.  Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and sugar  until well mixed.  Press into the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch baking pan.  Bake until the crust starts to brown (about 10 min).  Cool completely.  Next mix up the chocolate filling.  Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and confectioners’ sugar together until they are thick.  Beat in the cream de cacao, Kahlua, Cognac, vanilla and salt.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and stir until it’s melted into the mixture.  Let it cool slightly before beating it into the egg mixture.  Fold the softly beaten heavy cream into the chocolate mixture until combined.  Spoon the chocolate cream into the graham cracker crust.  Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.  Overnight is best.

When you’re ready to serve this amazing treat, make the meringue.  Using an electric mixer set on low, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add the salt and cream of tartar and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Beat in the vanilla then add the marshmallow fluff to the egg whites a little at a time, beating continuously until stiff peaks form.

Cut into squares of desired size and top each with about an extra large dollop of meringue after it’s plated.  If you have the tools and want to get fancy, use a small kitchen torch to burnish the meringue until the tips are golden brown.  I didn’t do this and it was still amazing!

All the taste without all the mess and you won’t have to fight the kids for a place in front of the fire.