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[00:00:00.02] text, L.L. Bean, Master the art of making s'mores.
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[00:00:05.29] Hi. I'm Matthew. And I work as a guide for L.L.Bean's outdoor discovery programs.
[00:00:08.68] And I'm his son, Kirby.
[00:00:10.30] Over the years, we've been on several camping trips where we've come up with a variety of s'mores. Today, we're going to show you a few of our favorites that we've made over the years. We've got a fire going. Let's get started.
[00:00:19.48] Today, we're going to start with the classic s'more-- the basic chocolate marshmallow and Graham cracker. One of our small tricks we like to show you today is adding powdered sugar to your marshmallows for a better caramel color.
[00:00:30.94] We'll be careful to not leave them on the fire too long or else they'll burn right up.
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[00:00:35.12] They shake them in a plastic bag.
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[00:00:37.39] Another thing we've learned over our many camping trips is to pre-soften the chocolate so it's a little bit gooier for the s'mores. And the way we pre-soften the chocolate is by placing the chocolate on the Graham cracker closer to the fire.
[00:00:49.99] So good.
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[00:00:51.04] They place them on a rock.
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[00:00:54.51] Is that close enough?
[00:00:55.78] That's some good chocolate. That's some chunky chocolate. While our chocolate is sitting there melting, we're going to roast our marshmallows. These are the marshmallows that we coated in powdered sugar earlier. And what we want to do is be careful and put it in a nice little pocket like this one, ensuring that you twist the marshmallow until it's all puffy.
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[00:01:17.89] He checks his.
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[00:01:19.24] So when we're putting our marshmallow in between to avoid touching the hot marshmallow, we're going to squish it in between and quickly pull our stick out like that.
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[00:01:30.55] He takes a bite of the gooey s'more.
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[00:01:34.22] Mmm, nothing like a classic s'more.
[00:01:37.48] On a recent family canoe trip with some fellow L.L.Bean guides, we hosted a s'mores competition. The rules were you had to have three basic ingredients, no more than five ingredients, and one of the ingredients had to be the roasted marshmallow. One of the most unique s'mores that came out of this was the saltine, Nutella, and marshmallow s'more.
[00:01:58.84] So we're going to spread a little bit of the Nutella on the saltine, similar to building the classic s'more. We're going to pinch the marshmallow between. You're just going for it.
[00:02:16.12] Yeah.
[00:02:17.77] Like that. Just a little bit. Yeah, nice. There you go. Taste it.
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[00:02:28.47] They take a bite.
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[00:02:30.36] Mmm, delicious.
[00:02:33.64] A quick s'more ideal is to use one of your favorite cookies with chocolate and put the marshmallow between the two cookies. We're going to soften these cookies to start with. Then we're going to take our marshmallows and toast them like usual.
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[00:02:48.75] They toast their marshmallows on sticks.
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[00:02:51.79] We got a nice spot right here, Kirb.
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[00:02:54.17] They twirl the sticks over the fire, then slide the marshmallows off the sticks between 2 cookies.
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[00:03:01.85] No, I've got my own.
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[00:03:05.09] They taste the cookie s'mores and chew.
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[00:03:11.22] Nice and efficient. And I really like how the chocolate is in between the cookie, and it makes it so that it just tastes really good.
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[00:03:20.31] Kirby takes another bite and gives a thumbs up.
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[00:03:24.95] Thumbs up from me. Oh, no.
[00:03:29.06] For our last s'more today, we're going to be showing you our gourmet s'more, one that you would be willing to pay in the upwards of $10 for at a fancy restaurant. The ingredients for this more will include homemade marshmallows, fresh made lemon curd, and wild Maine blueberries. But you can also buy these items from your local grocery store.
[00:03:49.61] So what we're going to do first is we're going to spread a small amount of the lemon curd onto the bottom of the Graham cracker. Then we're going to take some of our fresh Maine blueberries. Let's take a little bit of these and put them right on top. Don't have too much juice though, or else it'll get all soggy. Then we're going to take our marshmallow. And we're going to do the same thing we did before.
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[00:04:12.97] They slide the artisan marshmallow between two graham crackers. Kirby takes a bite. The marshmallow oozes out the sides.
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[00:04:23.40] Mmm, so delicious. It tastes like a fresh meringue pie. Mmm.
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[00:04:31.76] He goes in for another bite.
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[00:04:34.77] This has been really fun.
[00:04:36.09] And delicious.
[00:04:37.39] We hope you try some of the recipes we've shown you today at home. Happy roasting.
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[00:04:42.37] Text, L.L. Bean. Be an outsider.
[00:04:48.05] People climb up a rocky mountain in the sunshine.
Graham crackers. Marshmallow. Chocolate. The classic campfire treat couldn’t be easier to assemble – or harder to perfect. So we consulted with Outdoor Discovery Programs guide (and resident s’mores expert) Matt and his son Kirby to find out how they put their own spin on this ooey, gooey dessert, and how you can take your s’more game to the next level. There’s something for everyone to sink their teeth into.
The fire’s ready, so let’s get started!
1. The Classic S'more, Perfected
No matter how you make your s’more, it’s always sure to stack up. But getting the chocolate perfectly melty is always a struggle. Here’s an expert hack: position a scrap of wood at the edge of the fire (away from the flame but close enough to get indirect heat) and place a graham cracker topped with chocolate on it. As you roast your ‘mallow, let the graham warm up and melt the chocolate, then build your s’more and enjoy the perfect gooey bite.
2. The Sweet & Salty S’more
Even Matt was suspicious of this unexpected ingredient swap, but now it’s one of his all-time favorite s’more recipes! Instead of graham crackers, build your s’more with Saltines and hazelnut spread to give it a salty-sweet combo that will impress even the most traditional campfire cook.
QUICK TIP:
Sprinkle some powdered sugar into your bag of marshmallows and give it a shake to get them nice and coated. As you roast your ‘mallow, the sugar will caramelize, creating a beautiful, even brown.
3. The S'more in Seconds
You should have nothing but time when you’re relaxing around the campfire, but sometimes you just want a s’more now. Matt and Kirby like to use a pair of chocolate-filled cookies in place of traditional ingredients, with a perfectly roasted marshmallow sandwiched in-between. Use the indirect heat trick to give the chocolate from the cookie a few seconds to get a little melty, then into your mouth it goes!
4. The Gourmet S'more
You won’t believe the things you can achieve with a campfire as your kitchen! This five-star s’more gets a kick of tartness with fresh lemon curd (make your own with egg yolk, sugar, lemon, salt and butter), then comes together with a dollop of fresh wild blueberries. Matt and Kirby used all homemade ingredients, but you shouldn’t have trouble finding any of these things in your local grocery store.
QUICK TIP:
A slow, low, rolling roast will give your marshmallow a more evenly toasted outside and a perfectly gooey inside. To achieve this, experts recommend using two sticks instead of one to give you more control over your ‘mallow. It takes a little patience, but it’s totally worth the extra effort.
5. The Less Is S’more
Healthy and s’mores are two words that usually don’t go together, but with the right ingredients, you can shed at least some of those calories. Just replace the milk chocolate with dark chocolate, grab some sugar-free marshmallows and add fresh strawberry or banana slices to sweeten things up. Healthy? We’re talking about s’mores, here. Healthier? You bet!
6. The “Dirty Pillow” S’more
Sure, it doesn’t have the most appetizing name, but it’s a method that produces a flawless s’more, every time. The trick is to tuck a square of chocolate inside the marshmallow before you roast it, so it’s melted to perfection by the time you’re ready to dig in. Take a bite and watch the molten chocolate ooze out. Be warned: this one can get a little messy!
7. The Indoor S’more
Did it rain on your s’more parade? There’s a s’more you can make totally indoors that’s just as tasty, kind of fancy, and perfect for making ahead (although they’ll be hard to resist right out of the oven). Make a graham cracker crust and press firmly into a muffin tin. Bake at 350° for 5-6 minutes, then let cool and carefully pop out. Add a piece of chocolate and a big dollop of marshmallow fluff. Bake again for 4-5 minutes to melt the chocolate, then broil briefly until the fluff is golden brown. So good!
8. The PB&S’more
A cold, hard piece of chocolate can make any s’more a little less exciting, but here’s a simple fix: use peanut butter instead! Spread a hefty helping on each square of the graham cracker, then assemble the s’more like you normally would. Chocolate or hazelnut spreads also work wonders – and will create the creamiest s’more you’ve ever crammed into your mouth.
QUICK TIP:
No fire pit? No worries! Create a mini fire pit by lining a small terra-cotta pot with foil and adding some charcoal briquettes. It’s a super-fun way to make tasty s’mores in the backyard when you don’t have a fire source or feel like firing up the grill.
