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Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores

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avatar Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 01, 2009 10:50PM
So last week I found myself at the campsite looking to start up a campfire and make some s'mores. So we went to the Curry Village store and got a box of firewood, toaster forks, and one of the packaged s'mores kits with a tray filled with marshmallows, one pack of graham crackers, and three Hershey milk chocolate bars.

Well - I had fits and starts getting the fire up and running. I asked a neighbor for tips (he recommended wadding up some newspaper under the tinder), and within a few minutes I had a nice fire up and going. The s'mores were OK, but now I remember why I don't particularly like the regular Hershey bar. It was gritty and it had a slightly bitter taste. They also took quite a bit of heat to melt. However - the standard 1.5 oz Hershey bar is just about right for the thickness and breakaway piece size. Once I broke a scored piece off, it was just about right - just fitting inside a graham cracker.

Anyone tried different types of chocolate that might work better. I was thinking maybe Lindt, but it's sort of pricey and in my experience it might melt a little bit too easily. The pieces are thin, which does seem to help. Other types of imported milk chocolate may be too expensive. I was thinking Scharffen Berger, but it's too thick and I'm still a bit peeved at Hershey's for closing down the Berkeley plant and moving all production to the Midwest. I've seen some chocolate bars at Trader Joe's but it seems sort of hit or miss.

Now Nestle does seem to have a smoother chocolate in about the same size/thickness as a regular Hershey bar. Their regular milk chocolate bars seem a bit hard to find. I was thinking maybe a Crunch bar, but would the rice be wrong for a s'more? Not to mention the bars aren't scored for easy sizing. I have seen a few s'mores recipes that call for Nestle Crunch bars.
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 02, 2009 07:58AM
Sound like a good research project. Lots and lots of research would be best.
Most chocolate is formulated intentionally to melt at less than body temperature. Apparently the crystals of cocoa butter in the bar is critical but sounds like there are a range of crystal types (6 or more) which determine the temperature of melt, the brittlness or the gloss to the chocolate bar. It seems to me that the lighter chocolates melt at lower temperatures, but no scientific basis for that observation.


http://www.blurtit.com/q200183.html

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/may2000/958155884.Ph.r.html

There is a whole industry here with special terms like "conching" and "tempering" that seem to relate to the size of the cocoa butter crystals.

Of couse, the various producers of chocolate do not seem to publish details of their products. There are some retail stores that make their own chocolate products, perhaps they would have a recommendation (and be a source) for the perfect Smores chocolate.



The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 02, 2009 09:55AM
Much preferable alternative:
Step 1: Place marshmallows in bearproof trash bin designated for toxic waste disposal.
Step 2: Eat graham crackers and chocolate.
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 02, 2009 01:02PM
Quote
szalkowski
Much preferable alternative:
Step 1: Place marshmallows in bearproof trash bin designated for toxic waste disposal.
Step 2: Eat graham crackers and chocolate.

thumbs up
Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 02, 2009 10:35AM
Ok, so here is what we do when we eat S'mores around the campfire:
1. Get Keebler chocolate covered graham crackers
2. Get Marshmallows

Toast the marshmallow and when perfect, smoosh between 2 choc covered graham crackers. Perfect bites of chocolate, graham, and marshmallow every time! This also helps little hands from dropping pieces of the s'more and keeps older campers from eating up all the Hershey Dark chocolate before the s'mores are made! mmm.. I am hungry now... lets go to yosemite!
Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 02, 2009 12:20PM
reeses peanut butter cups are what I have been using for years now
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 02, 2009 02:00PM
s'mores and crown royal don't mix...however some people last week in Mammoth were using hershey's dark chocolate...I was observing
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 02, 2009 11:46PM
Quote
Vince
s'mores and crown royal don't mix...

Why not?
Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 04, 2009 08:41AM
Quote
y_p_w
So last week I found myself at the campsite looking to start up a campfire and make some s'mores. So we went to the Curry Village store and got a box of firewood, toaster forks, and one of the packaged s'mores kits with a tray filled with marshmallows, one pack of graham crackers, and three Hershey milk chocolate bars.

Well - I had fits and starts getting the fire up and running. I asked a neighbor for tips (he recommended wadding up some newspaper under the tinder), and within a few minutes I had a nice fire up and going. The s'mores were OK, but now I remember why I don't particularly like the regular Hershey bar. It was gritty and it had a slightly bitter taste. They also took quite a bit of heat to melt. However - the standard 1.5 oz Hershey bar is just about right for the thickness and breakaway piece size. Once I broke a scored piece off, it was just about right - just fitting inside a graham cracker.

Anyone tried different types of chocolate that might work better. I was thinking maybe Lindt, but it's sort of pricey and in my experience it might melt a little bit too easily. The pieces are thin, which does seem to help. Other types of imported milk chocolate may be too expensive. I was thinking Scharffen Berger, but it's too thick and I'm still a bit peeved at Hershey's for closing down the Berkeley plant and moving all production to the Midwest. I've seen some chocolate bars at Trader Joe's but it seems sort of hit or miss.

Now Nestle does seem to have a smoother chocolate in about the same size/thickness as a regular Hershey bar. Their regular milk chocolate bars seem a bit hard to find. I was thinking maybe a Crunch bar, but would the rice be wrong for a s'more? Not to mention the bars aren't scored for easy sizing. I have seen a few s'mores recipes that call for Nestle Crunch bars.

Being a veg, I don't do run-of-the-mill marshmallows, but Cadbury Chocolate is creamy, melts well and tastes like heaven. You could scarcely do better at three times the very modest price. Highly recommended.

Bruce
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 04, 2009 11:36PM
Quote
bpnjensen
Being a veg, I don't do run-of-the-mill marshmallows, but Cadbury Chocolate is creamy, melts well and tastes like heaven. You could scarcely do better at three times the very modest price. Highly recommended.

Bruce

I take it you know where to find marshmallows without gelatin? Perhaps something using a plant based gelatin substitute? Or maybe with real marshmallow root?
Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 05, 2009 01:00PM
Quote
y_p_w
Quote
bpnjensen
Being a veg, I don't do run-of-the-mill marshmallows, but Cadbury Chocolate is creamy, melts well and tastes like heaven. You could scarcely do better at three times the very modest price. Highly recommended.

Bruce

I take it you know where to find marshmallows without gelatin? Perhaps something using a plant based gelatin substitute? Or maybe with real marshmallow root?

Hi - I know there are non-gelatin marshmallows out there, perhaps using pectin or the like, but I have not seen them on shelves. A place like Whole Foods might have them in stock. If I crave marshmallow, I get Fluff or Kraft Marshmallow Goo, which omit the gelatin and just gives you a gooey, yummy mess. It would taste fine on s'mores, but you may need to apply it AFTER initial heating or it might run everywhere.

The root of the wild marshmallow is a tricky thing to harvest, let alone find - as an endangered species on the lonely island of Marshmallonia, and growing only on 1,000 meter bluffs overlooking the Antarctic icepack guarded by Yetis, it is usually best to let the Three Stooges get it for you during filming.
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 05, 2009 01:07PM
Try this for vegan marshmellows:

http://sweetandsara.com/locations.php



The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 05, 2009 01:34PM
Quote
bpnjensen
Quote
y_p_w
Quote
bpnjensen
Being a veg, I don't do run-of-the-mill marshmallows, but Cadbury Chocolate is creamy, melts well and tastes like heaven. You could scarcely do better at three times the very modest price. Highly recommended.

Bruce

I take it you know where to find marshmallows without gelatin? Perhaps something using a plant based gelatin substitute? Or maybe with real marshmallow root?

Hi - I know there are non-gelatin marshmallows out there, perhaps using pectin or the like, but I have not seen them on shelves. A place like Whole Foods might have them in stock. If I crave marshmallow, I get Fluff or Kraft Marshmallow Goo, which omit the gelatin and just gives you a gooey, yummy mess. It would taste fine on s'mores, but you may need to apply it AFTER initial heating or it might run everywhere.

At first I was thinking kosher marshmallows, but apparently the gelatin substitute is some sort of extract of fish or cowhide (I looked it up).

Quote

The root of the wild marshmallow is a tricky thing to harvest, let alone find - as an endangered species on the lonely island of Marshmallonia, and growing only on 1,000 meter bluffs overlooking the Antarctic icepack guarded by Yetis, it is usually best to let the Three Stooges get it for you during filming.

Interesting story. Of course this is the real marsh mallow:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Althaea_officinalis



Their are mallow plants in Yosemite, but I doubt they'd produce a suitable extract for thickening marshmallow puffs.
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 08:26PM
Now with warning labels!

http://yfrog.com/j3bv4j



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2009 09:00PM by eeek.
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 09:27PM
Quote
eeek
Now with warning labels!

http://yfrog.com/j3bv4j


What are the odds that this was the result of a lawsuit?
Well intentioned, but what are "bite sized pieces"? Balloons are the scariest with regard to choking from my point of view.



The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 09:42PM
Quote
Frank Furter
What are the odds that this was the result of a lawsuit?

Might just be zealous corporate land sharks with nothing better to do with their time.
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 09:50PM
Warning label on the softest thing on the planet yet no labels on cars. The Marshmallow people need better lobbyists.



Old Dude
Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
August 04, 2009 01:55PM
It's got to be fairtrade and organic or I don't buy. Fairtrade symbol (fairtradecertified.org). Somebody telling me the owner of the company is nice to the workers doesn't cut it and I hear it all the time. Divine Chocolate is fairtrade, organic and extremely good (divinechocolateusa.com). Too good in fact. You got to avoid that stuff or...
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 08:52PM
Ghirardelli chocolate is good, too (the stuff for baking is even better because it does not melt as fast)
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 09:24PM
Sacrilege! SACRILEGE!! Hershey bars only. Anything else isn't s'mores.

You might just as well recommend Miracle Whip. Bad bad bad girl.



Old Dude



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2009 09:26PM by mrcondron.
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 09:41PM
Quote
mrcondron
You might just as well recommend Miracle Whip.

vomit

It's either Best Foods or make my own!
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 10:13PM
Quote
eeek
Quote
mrcondron
You might just as well recommend Miracle Whip.

vomit

It's either Best Foods or make my own!

Mayonaise and Ketchup (Heinz) = Food of the Gods!!!

PS Best Foods only!!!!
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 10:20PM
Quote
Bee
Quote
eeek
Quote
mrcondron
You might just as well recommend Miracle Whip.

vomit

It's either Best Foods or make my own!

Mayonaise and Ketchup (Heinz) = Food of the Gods!!!

PS Best Foods only!!!!

The mixture is called "Fry Sauce" in my part of the country!



The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2009 10:20PM by Frank Furter.
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 10:35PM
Actually is truly titled "Ketchup and Mayonnaise" not "Mayonnaise and Ketchup" One rolls off the tongue and the other is a bit stilted.



Old Dude
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 10:57PM
Quote
Bee
PS Best Foods only!!!!

Obviously you have never made your own.


avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 29, 2009 11:05PM
There's no need. Best Foods Mayo has taken care of everything.



Old Dude
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 30, 2009 12:46AM
Quote
mrcondron
There's no need. Best Foods Mayo has taken care of everything.

Try it sometime. You might be surprised.
avatar Re: Ideal chocolate for s'mores
October 30, 2009 01:49AM
Quote
mrcondron
Hershey bars only.


Good suggestion... you wouldn't want to waste real chocolate on this concoction.
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