(my entry into the Chocolate Adventure Recipe Contest)
What could be better than Dark Chocolate, Squishy Maple Marshmallows and Crisp Bacon? I know, right? So this is what I came up with for this years Chocolate Adventure Recipe Contest using Scharffen Berger chocolate and cacao nibs.
Without further ado, here’s my recipe for Chocolate Bacon S’mores
Ingredients:
For the Bacon
-12 oz. Bacon, Applewood Smoked
-1 9.7 oz. Baking Bar Scharffen Berger Chocolate 62% Cacao Semisweet
-1/2 cup Scharffen Berger Roasted Cacao Nibs
For the Maple Syrup Marshmallows
-3 Packets of gelatin (approximately 3 tbsp.)
-1/2 cup water
-2 cups maple syrup (Amber Grade B makes beautiful, rich tasting off-white marshmallows)
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
For the Chocolate Wafers
-1 cup butter
-1 1/4 cups sugar
-1 large egg
-1 teaspoons vanilla extract
-2 1/2 cups flour, all-purpose
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-5/8 cups Scharffen Berger Natural cocoa powder (unsweetened)
Preparation:
Make the Marshmallows:
-Pour gelatin and water into mixer bowl.
-Cook the maple syrup to 250 degrees (hard-ball stage). Pour it slowly into the gelatin-water mixture while the mixer is running on low.
-Add the salt and cream of tartar.
-As it starts to get fluffy, crank the mixer up on high. Once it is very fluffy and seems to be done growing, pour the mixture into a greased 8″ by 8″ pan.
-Let it set for an hour or two.
-Once it’s firm you’ve got marshmallows. Cut them into 1 1/2″ thick strips and each strip into 4 equal pieces. This should get you about 20 marshmallow squares.
Bake the Chocolate Wafers:
-Cut two 14×12 inch pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap; set aside.
-In a bowl, cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
-In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda and cocoa powder.
-Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until evenly distributed.
-Divide dough into 2 pieces.
-Shape each piece into a square log, about 8 inches long, and wrap each log in plastic wrap.
-Place in freezer container with a tight-fitting lid, or wrap airtight in a piece of foil.
-After 2 hours or more, slightly thaw a roll of dough.
-Preheat oven to 350F.
-Lightly grease baking sheets.
-Slice dough into very thin slices in order to make crispy wafers
-Arrange slices on prepared baking sheets about 1/2 inch apart
Bake 8 minutes until cookies are set on edges and slightly firm on top.
Remove cookies and cool on wire racks.
Make the Chocolate Bacon:
Crisp the bacon:
-Line a baking pan with foil and lay down the bacon strips.
-Bake at 400º F for 10 to 15 minutes or more until the bacon is crisp. Crisp bacon is best for this recipe.
-Drain and cool the bacon on paper towels
-Once cooled, cut each slice of bacon into three equal pieces
Coat the bacon in chocolate:
-Prepare a double-boiler on the stove top with a glass bowl for melting the chocolate
-Chop the chocolate into small pieces suitable for melting
-For best results temper the chocolate following these steps: http://www.scharffenberger.com/howto.asp#temper
-When the chocolate is melted and warm on the double-boiler, dip each piece of bacon into the chocolate using a fork and coat thoroughly. With the bacon resting on the fork, tap the fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate from the bacon.
-Place the dipped bacon strip on wax paper to cool.
-Sprinkle the cocoa nibs on the bacon strips while they are still warm.
-Repeat until all the bacon strips are completed.
Assemble the Chocolate Bacon S’mores:
-Turn your broiler to high
-For each s’more place one marshmallow on top of a wafer and broil each marshmallow until toasty
-Top with 2 to 3 chcolate bacon strips, and enjoy while hot.
Recipe Help credit goes to:
http://www.squidoo.com/marshmallow
http://recipes.recipeland.com/recipes/recipe/show/Slice_&_Bake_Chocolate_Wafer_Cookies_23302
and my Wife, Hannah