S'mores from Mars
Aug 1, 2010
During the time between undergraduate and graduate school, I spent my days in Austin, TX. Austin is a rad city (yup, rad). With a slogan like "Keep Austin Weird," and events such as SXSW, and ACL, how could anyone not have a good time? My Nona purchased a condo downtown on 6th street and I resided there. The condo was my first place out on my own and it came complete with a rooftop deck, the original Z Tejas next door, and a short walk to Whole Foods and Anthropologie. Heaven really.
On the first day I was in Austin, I locked myself out of the condo while I was doing laundry. My washer and dryer were right outside my door and, unbeknownst to me, the door was set to lock automatically behind me. I walked out, let the door close, and found myself denied entry at 10pm. I had no phone, no money, and had even failed to put on shoes before walking outside. "This is going to okay," I assured myself as I rolled up my jeans, suppressed the tears, and walked down to the neighborhood video store called Waterloo.
"I locked myself out of my condo," I explained to the clerk after I entered the front door and walked sheepishly to the counter. "I left my phone and purse inside. I don't even have shoes." He stared at me, then over the counter at my bare feet and back at me while I finished. "I just moved here from Nebraska and I don't know a locksmith to call. Not only that but I don't know anyone here. I don't even have a friend I can call."
"Well," He paused searching for a response, "That has got to be the saddest story I have ever heard."
Without another word, the clerk picked up the store phone and called a locksmith. He referred to me as simply "Nebraska" each time I rented a movie after that night.
It wasn't long before I made a few friends in Austin. One of the most useful habits I developed was going to out to eat dessert. Just dessert (likely with a fancy cocktail). A restaurant located in SoCo called Mars was a mainstay. Frankly, their food wasn't anything to brag about. Neither was their decor (other than their outdoor seating area centered around a curiously large tree). They did, however, have a fantastic pastry chef. I wish I knew who (s)he was so I could credit him/her (Mars closed the year I moved).
Perhaps the most interesting dessert Mars served was a take on a s'more. The s'more was comprised of three layers: 1) Lavender devil food's cake, 2) Graham cracker ice cream, and 3) A freshly torched marshmallow. I wanted to recreate it and share it with you all. You all, y'all - it has a nice ring to it does it?
Side Note: Some things never change. Nearly the same thing occurred tonight in Seattle that happened in Austin. I was working on my computer in the shed, retouching photos for this very post. It was late, Chris is out of town, and I was feeling a little jumpy here in a new neighborhood and city where I know very few people. So, I felt the need to lock the door from the inside while I worked. When I went into the house to get my keys to deadbolt the door for the night, I shut it behind me with all of the lights left on. Long story short, I don't have a key to open the doorknob part of the door and I'm locked out of the shed with no one to call. At least I had shoes on and could still get into the house! The lights will have to stay on til morning.
UPDATE: I got into the shed. All is well here. Now I actually have to do some work today!
S'mores from Mars:
Prologue: The gata presides over my baking. Although you won't find a cat on any list of ingredients here, I strongly suggest that you find one to help boost baking morale.
Part 1: Graham Cracker Ice Cream
adapted from Cooks Illustrated, my changes in italics
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds removed, pod reserved
4 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
Method:
1. Position a strainer over a medium bowl set in a larger bowl containing ice water. Heat the milk, cream, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to break up the vanilla seeds, until steam appears and the milk is warm (about 175 degrees), about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl until combined and pale yellow. Whisk half the warm milk mixture into the beaten yolks, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined. Whisk the milk-yolk mixture into the warm milk in the saucepan; set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until steam appears, foam subsides, and the mixture is slightly thickened or an instant-read thermometer registers 180 to 185 degrees. (Do not boil the mixture, or the eggs will curdle.) Immediately strain the custard into the bowl set in the ice bath; cool the custard to room temperature, stirring it occasionally to help it cool. Cover and refrigerate until an instant-read thermometer -registers 40 degrees or lower, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
3. Pour the custard into the ice cream machine canister and churn until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream. Slowly add the crushed graham crackers to the soft-serve and mix until combined. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap flush against the surface, cover the container, and freeze the ice cream until firm, at least 2 hours.
KitchenAid ice cream makers are easy to use (once you crack the brain-buster of assembling the thing).
Graham Cracker Ice Cream
Part 2: Vanilla Bean Marshmallows
adapted from Kitchen Table Cooking School
2 tablespoon powdered gelatin
1/2 cup cold water, divided
6 ounces sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
pinch salt
1 vanilla bean, scraped (or sub 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Method:
1. Generously spray a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Mix together the powdered sugar and cornstarch.
3. Dust the pan with the sugar mixture and tap out excess onto a sheet of parchment paper. Repeat.
4. Put the powdered gelatin in a mixing bow and cover with 1/4 cup water to dissolve.
5. Put the bowl on the mixing stand with whip attachment so it is ready to go.
6. Combine the 1/4 cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a sauce pot and bring to a boil.
7. Cook to 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.
8. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl into the gelatin.
9. Increase the speed to high.
10. Whip until very thick and the marshmallow is lukewarm to the touch.
11. Add the vanilla.
12. Pour the marshmallow into the prepared pan.
13. Use a lightly oiled spatula to spread evenly.
14. Dust the top of the marshmallow with remaining powder.
15. Rest uncovered 4 hours and up to overnight.
16. Turn marshmallow out on a surface dusted with powered sugar and cut into 1 inch squares(mine are cut in 2 or 3 inch squares)
17. Coat each marshmallow in powdered sugar and store in an airtight container.
[Missing image, entitled "Mallow Mountain," being held hostage in shed goes here]
Mallow mountain image in its rightful place.
Part 3: Lavender Devil's Food Cake
adapted from The Lavender Cookbook, by Sharon Shipley
note: this recipe yields two 8 inch cakes for a layer cake, I used two square 8 inch pans and just didn't layer it.
2 cups (8 7/8 ounces) all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened natural-process cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender buds, finely ground in spice grinder (the author recommends 'Provence' lavender)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (14 1/8 ounce) sugar
2 large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8 inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa, lavender, and baking soda into a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix the water and buttermilk.
3. Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Beginning with the dry ingredients, alternately beat in the flour and milk in three additions each.
4. Bake on the center rack for 2 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool on wire racks for 5 minutes. 5. Run a thin knife around the sides of the pans and invert the cakes onto wire racks. Peel off the paper. Cool completely.
Psst. This is the lavender cookbook Nona bought for me at the Lavender Festival.
Batter split evenly between two 8 inch square cake pans.
The cakes bake and I take photos.
Finale: S'more Construction
Assemble cake, ice cream, and mallow. Then, torch the mallow.
S'more from Mars
Time saving ideas: Buy regular vanilla ice cream, allow it to soften, and then fold in graham crackers. If making mallows frightens you, torch a grocery store brand or perhaps try melting a bunch of the small ones with a bit of butter in a sauce pot (like you're going to make rice crispy treats sans cereal). After you melt them, lay the marshmallow out in a 9x13 inch pan like the recipe calls for. I don't know if that would work, but if you try it let me know. Also, you could use a box cake mix and then toss in (or eliminate) the lavender.
Reader Comments (6)
Thanks for the articles it's such helpful information here
kloy
Locksmith in Charlotte NC