Better than S’mores

August 8, 2008 at 4:38 am (A (4 stars, love, favorite), Dessert, My brain, Other, Product Reviews, Quick weeknight recipe)

When Derek went to Cambridge last month, I asked him to bring back some Hobnob’s, the delicious oaty, not too sweet British “biscuits.”  He couldn’t find Hobnob’s but brought back a similar oaty biscuit made by Mark and Spencer.  These oat cookies have a certain similarity to graham crackers: a crumbly, almost flaky texture, with just a touch of sweetness. I love the graham cracker and chocolate part of Smore’s, but I was never too fond of the marshmallow component.  Besides, most marshmallows aren’t really vegetarian.  Despite its failings, the marshmallow does fill an essential S’mores role: you need something ooey gooey to hold the biscuit and chocolate together.  Instead of marshmallows, I suggest peanut butter: it’s less artificial, contains less sugar, more protein, and is much, much tastier. Smear one Hobnob biscuit with a thin layer of all-natural, salted peanut butter, and top with a square of dark chocolate.  Please, use a good quality dark chocolate, not a Hershey’s milk chocolate bar; that stuff is just sugar and paraffin wax.  I recommend Scharffenberger’s nibby dark chocolate. If you want the chocolate a bit soft and melted, give it a second in the microwave or a hot oven, or (my preferred, all-natural method) just leave your better than S’mores sitting in a sunny window for 10 minutes.  These peanut better than s’mores are probably the simplest, tastiest, most satisfying desserts / snacks I’ve had in a long time.  Plus, each one is only slightly over 150 calories (hobnob = 60, 1/2 Tbs. peanut butter = 50, one large square of dark chocolate = 50).

Rating: A-