Marshmallow

I am neither brave nor bold enough to make just a chocolate chip cookie. Everyone’s mom or grandma makes “the best” chocolate chip cookie. And every one of those chocolate chip cookie recipes is different. So, out of respect, we dared not compete. Instead, we made a delicious chocolate chip tribute cookie—one of our most popular cookies—by accident. In the Ko basement one day, Mar overtoasted the cornflake crunch for the cereal milk panna cotta. She was pissed. I was pissed. But we refused to let it go to waste. I was already well versed in making a cookie out of anything left in the pantry, and we needed a dessert for family meal anyway. So we made cookies with the cornflake crunch, and we threw in some mini chocolate chips, just to make them appealing to the cooks in case the overtoasted cornflakes were a bust, and some mini marshmallows, because we were eating them as a snack, and why the hell not. It was just family meal. The cooks freaked. They requested the cookies for family meal every day after that. And so the cornflake-chocolate-chip-marshmallow cookie was born—love at first bite and a shoo-in on Milk Bar’s opening menu.

We always know the holidays are just around the corner when Mama breaks out her ambrosia balls. Our version features marmalade, wafer cookies, and coconut all balled up. Plus, our snowballs are no-bake, so you can fix these festive treats fast and invite the kids to help.

As a kid, whenever he got the chance, Bobby ate those store-bought oatmeal pies. These are his “grown-up” version.

Don’t laugh . . . it works, and it’s good. The key is to make sure that your marshmallows are really toasted to a deep golden brown color on all sides to get the most flavor. Don’t walk away from the oven because the marshmallows brown quickly. Would a dollop of “Fluffy” Whipped Cream (page 154) on top be overkill? I think not! In the mood for S’mores? Just blend the toasted marshmallows into the Double Chocolate Milkshake (page 134) and add a few tablespoons of crushed graham crackers on top of the whipped cream.

This is my homage to what I consider to be one of the best candy bars on the planet: Fran’s Coconut Gold Bar created by Fran’s Chocolates in Seattle, Washington. The bar consists of bittersweet chocolate wrapped around a creamy coconut–white chocolate ganache center. It’s off-the-charts good! To achieve that contrast between the bitter dark chocolate and the sweet coconut ganache in a milkshake, I combine a double chocolate shake with a mousse-like coconut whipped cream and layer this shake like a parfait. All you need to do is dig in your straw and stir for a little bit of heaven.

This rich cocoa warms the heart and soul like no other. After you’ve served the cocoa, the leftover amount makes a good base for chilly chocolate milk the next day. Store it in the refrigerator and just splash in cold, fresh milk to lighten it up.

Let’s face it, baking cookies or making candy can take a lot of time—time we sometimes just don’t have. But we do still want to offer treats that are made with love. These truffles are a simple, fast, and fun answer that will keep you from slaving over a stove and will keep your family fit and happy. In fact, they’re the perfect homemade sweet treat to impress everyone whether they’re interested in eating healthfully or not. And, they’re even perfect for getting the kids in the kitchen with you.

Gina: Just about every church cookbook and family recipe box throughout the South has its own version of this dark, rich chocolate cake named for the “muddy” Mississippi River. In our version, we add coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor, and throw in a handful of mini–chocolate chips, creating a sinfully “muddy” bottom that’s fun to drag your fork through. Then we top the whole thing off with mini-marshmallows and a river of icing. This is one Mississippi cake you’ll be happy to drown in!

Pat: Gina’s grandmother loved cane syrup, which is a sorghumlike syrup that has a deep bittersweet flavor. If you can’t find cane syrup, use an equal amount of dark-brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses. This dish gives a new twist to a classic Thanksgiving side. The gooey marshmallows and brown sugar keep the kids happy, while the “big kids” will love the addition of orange liqueur, warm spices, and pecans.

I'm not the first to think of this variation on everyone's favorite campfire sweet, but I'm willing to pit mine against anyone else's! This is a win-win s'more because not only does it turn a beloved but messy dessert into something spectacular—and easy—for any time of year, but it also frees you from having to fire up the grill to reach chocolate-marshmallow nirvana. Even better, you can secretly feel good knowing you are upping everyone's fiber with 100 percent whole-wheat crêpes (you can't say that about graham crackers), yet the crêpes are so tender and have such a deliciously nutty flavor that you'd never guess they're actually good for you. The marshmallow filling may be homemade or store-bought. Raspberries are optional, but I bet you'll find they add a welcome hit of color and tang. Intrigued by the whole-wheat flour in the crêpes? Read my rant about white flour and my tips for using whole-wheat flour on the Gourmet Live blog. Then check out the 05.11.11 issue of Gourmet Live to read about my on-again, off-again affair with crêpes.

More fun with pretzels and melted chocolate! Like the pretzel lollipop ghosts, these are a tasty mix of sweet and salty. With the white chocolate coating on them, they are uniformly charming. For the best effect, heap and jumble the little bones in a bowl rather than laying them on a plate. (Although I call for white chips, this is one place where lower grade white "coating" chocolate or bark is so easy to work with that it might be worth the trade-off in taste.)

Children of all ages will adore these homemade frozen treats. My recipe for Yummy Chocolate Cookies pairs perfectly with a variety of ice cream flavors. So you can be as creative as you want in choosing a filling—or two!

These wee sandwich cakes, also known as Moon Pies, got their start in Pennsylvania Dutch country. They are known as whoopee pies because children exclaim, "Whoopee!" when the cakes are ready. Whole Foods sells Tiny Trapeze brand marshmallow cream, made with "no junkie stuff," as the container states.

After tasting this American classic during a visit to Walt Disney World Resort, Payard gave it a twist by adding bitter cocoa to balance the sweetness.

Utensils needed: Heatproof bowl; heavy-bottomed saucepan; baking sheet or platter, lightly buttered; wooden spoon.
Boiling time: 6 minutes.
Storage: Keep individually wrapped candies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week; refrigerated, up to 3 weeks.

A decadent, impressive dessert that appeals to everyone's inner Boy Scout or Girl Scout. Begin preparing this a day ahead.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This frosting goes with the recipe for Incredible Melted Ice-Cream Cake

Coconut, lemon rind, and raisins are a bright surprise. "A lot of people buy my cookbook just to get this recipe," says Mrs. Wilkes.

Melted miniature marshmallows are used to lighten and thicken this creamy mousse. Begin preparing it a day before serving.

Here is a delicious interpretation of a campfire classic.