A Trip Down {Fake} Memory Lane

When I was younger I wanted to be a Girl Scout. Something about it seemed so cool. You got to wear cute uniforms, do crafty things, make friends, and earn patches. I told my mom about this desire and she signed me up for it. I went to two meetings and then stopped going because of the financial commitment. I didn't think being a Girl Scout was so expensive. I was disappointed that my mom didn't have the money for it, but like every 10 year old out there, I quickly got over it as soon as I discovered something new to fixate on (in my case, my school's free after school soccer program). Soccer ended up being a better fit for more me because the jerseys, shorts, and disheveled hair were more me than the clean cut look of a girl scout.

When we were at the store yesterday I snatched up some marshmallows because I had seen this recipe on Joy The Baker. The recipe made me day dream about all the Girl Scout campfires I missed out on. I pictured myself putting marshmallows on sticks and sticking them in the flame of a fire until they were hot and gooey and then sandwiching them between chocolate and graham crackers. After a while I snapped out of it and I sent myself to the kitchen to bake. The brownies were warm and wholesome. The brownie is chocolaty, dense, and very cake-like. I think my brownies came out more cake-like because I added graham cracker crumbs instead of graham cracker chunks. I loved seeing the brownies bake because the marshmallows puffed up in the oven and then shrunk down after they cooled. These brownies were better than any s'mores I had made up in my dreams.
S’mores Brownies
Source: Joy The Baker

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup graham cracker, roughly crushed with your hands
12 big
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9×13-inch baking pan with 2-inch-high sides. Combine first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Stir butter and chocolate in a medium sized bowl over a heavy saucepan of simmering water. Stir chocolate and butter in this double boiler until melted and smooth.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Stir in warm chocolate mixture, then dry ingredients. Fold in graham crackers. Pour batter into prepared pan. Dot with 12 large marshmallows. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30- 40 minutes.

Marshmallows will be browned and puffy but will deflate as the brownies cool. Cool for at least 20 minutes than slice with a sharp knife, cleaning the knife with hot water if it gets too messy and sticky. Serve or wrap individually in wax paper for storing.

The s'more brownie.

The marshmallow & graham cracker crumbs.

See? It looks cakey.