One Small Step for

summer kind.

According to all the usual indices, it is full on summer time here.  School is out, the forecast keeps rotating between 95 and 75 for our predicted high and low temperatures, and on the interweb I see more and more recipes featured of the outdoors grilling and picnic treat variety.

Which is fine by me.  Foods that will tolerate being made ahead and transported to a gathering are among my favorites.  Including the upcoming beauties that we made not for a picnic, but to have as a special treat to celebrate the return of an HBO favorite to the lineup.

Vamps and shape shifters rejoice...taken from a recent copy of Martha Stewart Living I'd like to introduce you to the delights of....  Marshmallow Cookie Sandwiches.

Based upon the original Tennessee Moon Pie (introduced in 1917), the recipe graciously allows either the use of home prepared or store bought graham crackers.

Y'all may recall I noted previously I have several bags of specialty flour already languishing in the freezer, so I opted to go for a box of honey grahams from the store.

Truth be told, even if you go the home made route you'll end up with squares rather than that evocative moon shape, but the eating is no less delicious for all the corners involved.

We started these fairly early in the afternoon noting the marshmallows require at least three hours to set.  It was fun working with the block of set marshmallow.  We took to heart the hint to use powdered sugar on our knife to help get a clean cut and once we got used to the plasticity of the mass, it was a kick cutting the squares and then powdering the edges to make them easier to handle.  Cutting them was almost as much fun as eating them...

So without further ado, the recipe for Not-So-Moon-Shaped-Pies.  The only change I would suggest, especially if you go the route of store bought grahams?  As rich as these flavor combinations are I think a pair of single crackers providing a smaller rectangle would make a more reasonable serving size.  That way you'd end up with 18 one by two inch rectangular treats, rather than 9 two inch square behemoths.  Either way, you'll be drawling and drooling up a storm.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:  

• Vegetable oil cooking spray, for pan
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• Coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar, for cutting
• 9 store-bought graham crackers, split in half, or 18 homemade graham cookies
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1 cup salted, roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; line with parchment. Sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 cup water in the bowl of a mixer; let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Heat granulated sugar, corn syrup, remaining 1/3 cup water, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until syrup reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.
3. Whisk gelatin in mixer on low speed, adding syrup in a slow, steady stream down side of bowl. Whisk, gradually increasing speed to high, until almost tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. Whisk in vanilla. Transfer to baking pan. Smooth top. Let stand until set, at least 3 hours.
4. Cut out nine 2 1/2-inch square marshmallows using a cookie cutter or a knife dipped in confectioners' sugar. Dip surface of crackers into chocolate to coat, and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Sandwich marshmallows between crackers, chocolate sides in.
5. Dip half of each sandwich into chocolate, on the diagonal; sprinkle with peanuts, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes.