Sunday S'mores: Red White & Blue S'mores Sundae

With Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream and Red Velvet Graham Crackers

Do you ever get ideas into your head that you think have to be either the best idea you've ever had, or is just plain weird? And it's either/or, absolutely no in between. This was one of those ideas.

I'd been doing a little research into toasted marshmallow ice cream. I was thinking of doing an ice cream sandwich with homemade graham crackers when it hit me that the fourth of July was almost here, and I should do something fourth-themed. I thought maybe I could just color the graham crackers red, when I remembered that I had a bottle of red velvet emulsion, and I thought, well, what about red velvet graham crackers? I adapted this recipe for chocolate graham crackers from King Arthur Flour, and it was good. I mean, really good. Really, really good. Like, I think I've already eaten 10 this morning good.

As for the toasted marshmallow ice cream, I couldn't find a specific recipe that I liked, but they all seemed to add toasted marshmallows to a custard base. So I made Sweet Cream Base #1 from my Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book (Ben & Jerry will never let you down), blended it with some toasted marshmallows and a little vanilla, and added in some milk chocolate chunks. And that was good, too, but not quite as marshmallow-y as I wanted. However, I think the problem was that I only toasted one side of my marshmallows. Also, that I ate two. Maybe three. You shouldn't do that.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Didn't she say she wanted to make ice cream sandwiches?" you're saying with complete bewilderment. "That doesn't look like a sandwich to me!" And you would be completely right. I was planning on making ice cream sandwiches. And I did. But, um....they weren't pretty. So instead, I gave you a s'mores sundae for your Sunday S'mores (okay, truth: it took me like 10 minutes after writing the title to get that. And I even misspelled sundae as Sunday). Live with it.

Before you go, I'd like to thank Jordyn from A Jew Broad Cooks for my Foodie Penpals package:

We all know that June was a tough month for me, so it was an awesome surprise to find this on my doorstep. I tore into those chocolate almond crispies as soon as I opened the box, and I used that honey to make my graham cracker marshmallows. The hazelnut butter is long gone, and I ice that Tazo tea to drink at work. Totally refreshing. I'm sure I'll be cracking into that Old Bay before too long. Thanks again, Jordyn, and go check out her blog! She's fabulous.

Red Velvet Graham Crackers {Printable Version}
Yield: 30 2-inch square crackers
 
Ingredients
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
6 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
2 tbsp. solid white vegetable shortening (Crisco)
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. cold milk
1 tbsp. red velvet emulsion or red food coloring*
2 tbsp. granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Using a pastry
blender, cut in the butter until well mixed and crumbly. In a small bowl mix together the wet ingredients
until the honey is dissolved. Sprinkle over the dry ingredients, and mix with a fork until a dough forms.
Add more milk, if necessary.

Press the dough into a ball, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently about 10-12 times.
Roll out the dough no thicker than ¼ inch. Cut into even shapes using a cookie cutter, sharp knife, or
pizza cutter. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat and bake 12-15
minutes, until the dough is no longer bubbling and the edges are firm. Sprinkle with granulated sugar
immediately after removing from the oven, and let cool completely on a wire rack.

*This is to make the crackers softer. Feel free to use all butter, if you prefer.

**For chocolate graham crackers, replace the emulsion with another tbsp. of milk.
 
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour 

Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream {Printable Version}

Ingredients
1 pkg. (10 oz.) marshmallows
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 oz. milk chocolate chunks (optional)

Directions
Place the marshmallows on a baking sheet lined with tin foil, and place them under the broiler for about
30 seconds, until the marshmallows are a dark golden brown and have just started to smoke. Carefully
flip the marshmallows over and repeat on the other side. Add the toasted marshmallows to a blender
and pulse a few times until smooth.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until fluffy. In a medium saucepan, heat
the cream and the milk over medium-low heat until it just begins to simmer, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Add the milk mixture to the eggs 1 ladleful at a time, whisking constantly. When all
the milk has been added, return the mixture to the pan and heat over low, stirring constantly, until the
mixture reaches 160°F on a food-grade thermometer. Do not let it boil.

Add the cream mixture to the blender, and blend on low speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the
cream and marshmallows are well mixed and smooth. Add the vanilla and pulse a few times until fully
incorporated. Refrigerate the mixture for 4-6 hours, until completely chilled. Add to an ice cream maker
and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. When the ice cream is almost finished, add the
chocolate chunks, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book