Marshmallows smores bars are made with graham cracker crust, homemade vegan marshmallows, and date syrup caramel. A healthier smores bar, rich in iron, magnesium and immune-boosting zinc and super easy to make.
For date syrup, set the dates to soak overnight. The next day rinse and pit them.
Marshmallows taste best allowed to set overnight so make these the day before you make smores. Or at least 4 hours before so marshmallows can set. See recipe instructions below.
Make Vegan Marshmallows
Line an 8-inch by 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Grease paper lightly with coconut oil and dust with arrowroot or corn starch.
Pour the aquafaba into a very dry and deep mixing bowl, and whip for 10-12 minutes or until you have stiff peaks. Occasionally you'll need to whip it more but sometimes I get sturdy peaks at 7 minutes, it depends on the brand chickpeas you use. Set this aside.
Put corn syrup in a sauce pan and bring to a light boil. Dissolve agar agar powder in the water and add that to the corn syrup. Add salt and vanilla and stir until the mixture just boils, then quickly remove the pan from the heat.
Let the mixture cool for 2 minutes then fold it into the aquafaba peaks gently so you don't deflate the texture.
Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and let it sit uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours. I often leave it overnight to be sure it is sturdy enough.
Prep on Bar Making Day
Line a 4-inch by 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper to prepare for making smores bars. A larger loaf pan will work as well.
Make Crumb Crust
Grind up crackers to a crumb in a blender or food processor, pour it in a bowl. Add in the melted coconut oil and mix with a fork.
Spread on the bottom of the lined loaf pan and press flat with hands or bottom of glass. Freeze while you make other layers.
Make Date Syrup
Pit the dates you soaked the night before. Chop into chunks. Drop chunks into a pot of water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Let the mixture cool about 15 minutes. Then press through a fine sieve, pressing on mixture with a spatula or spoon to get the liquid through. Reserve the liquid for your syrup. I usually save in refrigerator the sweet pulp to add to smoothies within three days.
Return the liquid date syrup to a pot and stir in the agar agar and simmer a few minutes, or until it melts.
Allow the date syrup to cool to room temperature. Then pour 1 cup onto the crust and return to freezer and allow the date syrup layer to solidify like a jelly before you add the marshmallow layer.
Store any leftover date syrup in the refrigerator for one week. Freeze for two months.
Add Marshmallow Layer
Dust a large piece of parchment paper with arrowroot or cornstarch.
Lift the room-temperature, 8-inch by 8-inch block of marshmallow onto the prepared parchment, and dust the top and sides with more arrow root or corn starch.
Dip a sharp knife in boiling water and wipe it completely dry then cut the 8-inch square brick exactly in half. This will result in two pieces that exactly fit a 4-inch by 8-inch loaf pan. (or any size loaf pan really). You need one of these halves to insert into your Smore's Bars loaf pan.
Dust one half well on all sides with more arrowroot or cornstarch. If you don’t mind the sugar, you can also dust with powdered sugar but that might retain patches of moisture.Set the dusted half of marshmallow block on to the chilled date syrup layer, and press lightly. Set aside at room temperature while you melt the chocolate.
The left-over other half of marshmallows can be cut into smaller pieces such as eight pieces that are 2-inch by 2-inch for individual eating!Roll or dust each of the cut pieces in arrowroot powder or cornstarch or even powdered sugar if you prefer, and leave uncovered at room temperature for 2 days. They are best eaten that day however. If they seem to get wet, dust them as need.
Make the Melted Chocolate
Melt the chocolate chips in a glass pyrex measuring cup in the microwave for 60-seconds. Add the coconut oil and stir until melted. Let cool a bit.
Pour the melted chocolate on top of the marshmallow layer. Set aside until the chocolate hardens, around 30 minutes.
Cut blocks
In order to get a super sharp cut, use a sharp knife dipped in boiling water and wiped dry. Press the hot knife lightly onto the chocolate top and allow the knife to melt through, and then you can press to cut. If you just press on to the hard chocolate, the whole bar will be squished.Alternatively, you can reduce the chocolate layer to a mere shell by spooning only ¼ of the amount and spreading it with a spoon. But the chocolate might get powdered so if you use this method, don't dust the top of the marshmallow block before you insert it.
Storage
These bars are best eaten the first day they are assembled. That's because vegan marshmallows must be kept at room temperature or they get too wet.
Notes
Nutrition is version using homemade aquafaba fluff.