The Elevated Classic S’More

Los Angeles native Vanessa Seder lived in Brooklyn and Boston before she landed in Maine—a place where this chef, food stylist, and recipe developer learned to love the culinary upside of raising a family in a place where it’s so cold, for so long.  

In this book, Seder shares seventy-five of her favorite recipes that take the edge off any chill, from long, slow braises and simmers perfect for a winter afternoon at home to weeknight meals that draw on ingredients and nutrients that will power you and your family through a cold snap to recipes and menus for holidays and cozy gatherings. The book also includes recipes for sweets like homemade caramels and invigorating grapefruit-flavored cookies; warm drinks like teas, toddies, and several versions of hot chocolate; and pantry staples like marmalades and flavored salts. The style and imagery of the book is bright and inviting, designed to combat any winter blues.

Warm Your Bones is perfect for at-home cooks who have an interest in international cuisines, for those who practice hygge, and for individuals who generally enjoy the coziness of winter.   

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The Elevated Classic S’More

Like several of the other riffs in this book, this section is a by-­product of COVID-­era firepit gatherings, when experimentation with s’mores was inevitable. This led to the concept of Savory S’mores (page 52), but my pursuit of s’more innovation did not stop ­ there. At some point I had the urge to improve on run-­of-­the-­mill Hershey’s-­style s’mores by creating a high-­end version made with homemade grahams and the best-­quality choco­late. It took me a while to get the cracker right, but when I fi­nally did, the response I received helped justify the effort.

The basic biscuit ­recipe and s’more assembly instructions follow below. If you ­ really want to cause a s’more uproar at your next gathering, however, try unveiling one or two of the variations that follow (Salted Dulce de Leche, Lemon Curd and Raspberry, or Peanut Butter Crunch).

MAKES 14 S’MORES

For the Graham Crackers

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

½ cup wheat germ

½ cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons heavy Cream

To Assemble

8 ounces good-quality dark or milk chocolate bars, such as Scharffen Berger, Guittard, Callebaut, or Republica del Cacao, broken into 2-inch squares

Marshmallows of choice (regular, kosher, or vegan)

The homemade graham cracker recipe below does require some time, effort, and patience. Because the dough is quite soft, it requires chilling and rolling between pieces of parchment paper to prevent sticking. But your hard work will pay off with interest. The depth of flavor these biscuits deliver—not too sweet, a bit salty, with notes of honey and wheat—is a revelation. Almost as important, their texture is ideal for s’mores: crisp around the edges yet slightly soft and pliable in the middle, eliminating the risk of s’more implosion when you take a bite.

Make the graham crackers: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine the pastry flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the dough forms into small pea-size crumbs. Add the egg, honey, and heavy cream and pulse until a very soft dough forms, about 30 seconds.

On a work surface, place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out to about ½ inch thick. Transfer the dough (still between the parchment) to an unlined baking sheet, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Discard the top layer of parchment paper, then divide the dough in half using a sharp knife. Return one of the halves, with the parchment still underneath, to the refrigerator. Transfer the other dough half onto a floured work surface, discarding the parchment. Dust some flour over the dough, then roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick.

Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into roughly 2-inch squares and gently transfer them to one of the prepared baking sheets, placing them about 1 inch apart. Any leftover scraps of dough can be pressed, refrigerated, and rerolled. Prick the crackers all over with the tines of a fork.

Bake for about 12 minutes, until the crackers have set and are a rich golden brown. Transfer the crackers on the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool completely. The graham crackers will crisp up slightly as they cool. Repeat this process with the remaining dough, rerolling scraps of dough as you go. (You should end up with a total of 28 graham crackers.)

Assemble the s’mores: Divide the graham crackers into sets of two. Place one of the crackers upside down and place a ½ -ounce piece of chocolate on top. Toast a marshmallow either on a stick over a firepit, or on a fork over a burner of a stove. Place the marshmallow on the chocolate and close the s’more with the second graham cracker right side up to create a sandwich. Squeeze the crackers gently to keep the toasted marshmallow and chocolate in place as you carefully withdraw the stick or fork. Give the marshmallow 10 to 15 seconds to cool, then eat.

NOTE

I have not attempted a homemade marshmallow here, since the crackers are already fairly labor intensive. Happily, high-quality marshmallow options are commonly available these days and come in a wide variety of flavors (setting out a few alternatives can add to the s’more euphoria). And to accommodate various dietary requirements, both vegan, gelatin-free marshmallows and kosher ones that use fish gelatin are increasingly available, allowing all and sundry to join the fun.

Recipes reprinted with permission from Warm Your Bones: Cozy Recipes for Chilly Days and Winter Nights by Vanessa Seder © 2024. Published by Union Square & Co. Photographs © Jenny Bravo.