Triple Chocolate S’more Brownies

Triple Chocolate S'more Brownies

When it comes to baking, I have a rule: always up the ante.

If you’re not familiar with poker terminology, let me rephrase that. It’s never decadent enough. We can always do more to make our baked goods push glorious boundaries. Brownies are particularly conducive to letting the crazy out. They’re like the best chocolate canvas ever.

These fudgy guys are a lot of fun. The bottom layer is chocolate graham crackers, followed by brownie batter with chocolate chips inside. So there’s the “triple” in the title. And then the whole kit n’ kaboodle is topped off with jumbo marshmallow slices. Aww yeah.

Triple Chocolate S'more Brownies

One of the reasons that I love to bake is that daydreaming has always been a huge part of my life. Whenever I’m off in other worlds, I imagine anything from new versions of cities I live in (I’ve dreamed an entirely different D.C. from the one people know and love) to baked goods. But sometimes, my daydreaming can really startle me with its power to completely transport me away from the present moment.

For instance, I sometimes daydream through a whole hour-long workout. Sure, my brain checks in now and then to make sure I’m still moving, but I will honestly not remember doing a lot of it. That doesn’t happen most of the time, but when I’m preoccupied or upset or trying to work something out, that other part of my brain takes over while my body just does whatever it’s supposed to do.

Triple Chocolate S'more Brownies

This morning, I was sweating through my favorite barre workout, Physique 57. It’s 57 minutes of working different muscle groups in intervals with the help of a ballet barre (yep, I actually own a barre), a ball, and some weights. Some days are easier than others. There are the days that it doesn’t really seem too terrible at all, while on other days, I actually groan out loud after a particularly grueling set.

Triple Chocolate S'more Brownies

Today was neither, because I was too busy daydreaming. This time, I was thinking about something that happened 15 years ago in my first year of teaching. It was Back to School Night, and I said something to a group of parents about the ninth grade class I was teaching at the time, and how my goal was to extend on what they learned in middle school. One person in that room went to a middle school teacher she knew and told him that I’d been trashing middle school teachers for not doing their jobs well enough.

Instead of giving me the benefit of the doubt, or letting it go, or doing anything that would have been appropriate, this teacher (or bully, really) wrote me the nastiest e-mail about how I clearly could teach him so much about how to do his job, seeing as how I was brand-new and he’d been doing it for 16 years. The e-mail was sarcastic, vitriolic, and completely the wrong message to send to a new teacher.

Triple Chocolate S'more Brownies

I never told this person what I thought of him, but part of me has always wanted to tell him that, despite his best efforts, I’m still teaching. And 15 years later, I could tell him that I actually do have a lot to teach him about doing his job because I would never do what he did to me. New teachers should be counseled and guided and encouraged. They need support, not sarcasm. The fact that this man believed a rumor about someone he didn’t even know is one thing, but how he acted on it was even worse. And I’ve never forgotten his name. Someday, I might need it.

So as I thought about him during squats and reps, I came to the same conclusion I always come to. He’s a life lesson, a great example of what not to be. And that’s probably it. Besides, I’m so much cooler. I make triple chocolate s’more brownies, for heaven’s sake. And if I ever met him, I wouldn’t share. So there.

Triple Chocolate S'more Brownies

Apparently, it was national s’mores day a couple of weeks back. Well, I’m always late to the party when these supposed holidays come up. I need a day planner that tells me what food day it is. That would help. But I didn’t want you to think that I don’t love s’mores with all my heart, so here you go.

They’re easy, fun, and perfect to eat while daydreaming. Though to be honest, I try not to daydream when I’m eating brownies. That’s the best time to be present. You can save the mental vacations for working out and other unpleasantness!

 

Triple Chocolate S’more Brownies

Ingredients

6-8 chocolate graham crackers
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup chocolate chips
5-6 jumbo marshmallows, cut crosswise into thirds

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Line the bottom with the chocolate graham crackers. Set aside.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the cocoa into the melted butter until it dissolves. Add the sugar and stir again. When the sugar is incorporated, mix in the vanilla and eggs. Add the salt and flour, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  3. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and place the marshmallow slices on top evenly.
  4. Put the brownies back in the oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until set.
  5. Cool completely and cut into squares.
http://justaboutbaked.com/triple-chocolate-smore-brownies/

 

Mir

I fulfill many roles in life: wife, mother, teacher, everlasting learner. This site is dedicated to one role that expresses my creativity in ways that I find consistently challenging and rewarding: baker. Inventing new ways to enhance food, especially if that food involves chocolate or peanut butter (or both!), is a passion of mine. I look forward to sharing my ideas with you.

This Post Has 23 Comments

  1. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust

    I can’t believe that teacher did that!! And daydreaming – for me it’s 100% of the time I’m not actively engaging my brain…and it’s always about dessert. πŸ™‚
    Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust recently posted…Mini Crumb Cake BitesMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Well, he must’ve been an angry guy. I guess he didn’t have enough brownies or daydreaming in his life!

  2. Mira

    Look at these – so perfect! Your brownies are always gorgeous Mir! That teacher was definitely a bully!!!
    Mira recently posted…Crepes With Whipped Chocolate Coconut CreamMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Thanks, Mira! Bullies suck. We should never share brownies with them!

  3. Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen

    Wow! These brownies look incredible, Mir! Chocolate +s’more? I am in! πŸ™‚ I love all your deeeelicious chocolate treats, they are divine!
    Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen recently posted…Super Moist Mini Chcolate Beet Cake + MuffinsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Thanks, Anu! With me, it’s all chocolate, all the time!

  4. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    Sounds like your experience with that nasty teacher really taught you a lot. I admire you for not saying anything! That just shows that you are a much bigger and better person! And I really admire your barre workouts, too. I’ve heard those are wonderful! And these brownies, yum! What a perfect, fudgy treat for the weekend!
    Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Peanut Butter Pie PopsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Thanks, Gayle! And barre workouts are amazing. I highly recommend them. Try it out!

  5. Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom

    Mir, a life lesson. I love that, that’s a great way to look at it! i hate it when things like that happen. . I’m assuming that person totally misunderstood what you were saying and just went to blab. so unnecessary. on a brighter note, I’ve heard so many great things about pure barre! Is Physique 57 a DVD? and girl, you killed it with these brownies. . always upping the ante. love it!!! TGIF! Hope you have a great weekend, Mir!
    Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom recently posted…Texas CaviarMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Pure barre is also great! Physique 57 has a bunch of studios in NYC and CA, but they also have a ton of DVDs, which I use religiously. Seriously, it tones muscles like nothing else. My thighs have a totally different shape. You should give it a shot, Alice!

  6. Linda @ Today She Loves

    Glad that teacher you met didn’t stop you from teaching. One bad experience usually puts someone off, but I’m glad to see you made it into a positive. :p

    These brownies look awesome and it makes me want to poke the gooey center. Slightly satisfied when I do this because I can see my fingerprint and the prints I left behind.
    Linda @ Today She Loves recently posted…Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Lemon GlazeMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Bad experiences at least have learning value. I try to remember that, but it’s not always easy! And I love the gooey center. Fingerprints in brownies sounds like a great idea!

  7. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy

    Wow. What an awful teacher.

    I think you definitely upped the ante with these brownies. It has been such a long time since I have had a really good brownie. I have also still not had smores and that is on my summer bucket list.
    Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on A Day In Manchester by DanniiMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Yep, I did not like him. πŸ™‚ But I love brownies. Get to that summer bucket list item, girl!

  8. Michele @ Two Raspberries

    nothing is better than TRIPLE chocolate! πŸ˜‰ and like made into smore brownies I mean! send some to me please! πŸ˜‰
    Michele @ Two Raspberries recently posted…SPICY Garden Salsa -Vegan -Gluten FreeMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Wish I could, Michele!

  9. Manali @ CookWithManali

    Love these brownies, they are actually one of my favorite desserts πŸ™‚ have a great weekend Mir!

    PS: urgh that teaches sounds like a snob!
    Manali @ CookWithManali recently posted…Rose Pistachio Chia PuddingMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Mine too, Manali! And yep, don’t like that guy. But my guess is that he doesn’t like himself much, either.

  10. Mary Frances

    1) SO glad you didn’t quit teaching.
    2) You had me at triple chocolate.
    3) And at smores.
    4) and oh my lanta do these look like a thick fudgy slab of heaven.
    Mary Frances recently posted…Funfetti Chocolate AlmondsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Awww, thanks, Mary Frances! There are days when I want to quit, but nope, not a general feeling. Usually it’s great. And I’m all about fudgy slabs of heaven!

  11. Medha @ Whisk & Shout

    These are so next level! Love that you sliced the marshmallows and I totally agree with your baking philosophy πŸ™‚ Pinning!
    Medha @ Whisk & Shout recently posted…{Vegan + GF} Maple Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce!My Profile

    1. Mir

      Thanks so much, Medha! Sliced marshmallows are fun. πŸ™‚

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