S'mores Pull-Apart Focaccia (Yeast)
Soft, fluffy s'mores pull-apart focaccia made with instant yeast, ready the same day. Every ball is dipped in vanilla butter, rolled in a graham cracker crust, stuffed with melty chocolate, and topped with toasted marshmallows. All the flavor of a campfire s'more in one pan you can pull apart and share.
Servings: 24 focaccia balls
Calories: 185kcal
Equipment
- kitchen scale
- Large mixing bowl
- Two Medium Bowls
- Whisk
- 9x13 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Instant read thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
Dough
- 400 g bread flour 3 1/4 cups
- 305 g water 1 1/3 cups
- 8 g salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 5.5 g instant yeast 1 3/4 teaspoons, or 7g active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 13 g granulated sugar 1 tablespoon
- 4 g vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- 21 g Crushed Graham Crackers 3 tablespoons (optional)
Graham Cracker Coating
- 140 g finely crushed graham crackers about 1 1/3 cups
- 50 g granulated sugar 1/4 cup
- 8 g cornstarch 1 tablespoon
Vanilla Butter
- 113 g unsalted butter melted (1/2 cup)
- 4 g vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
For Topping
- 170 g good quality chocolate broken into 24 squares (about two 3 ounce bars), or about 1 tablespoon chopped chocolate chunks per ball
- 75 g mini marshmallows about 1 1/2 cups
Instructions
- If using instant yeast, add the bread flour, water, salt, instant yeast, sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be sticky and shaggy, which is normal.
- If using active dry yeast, first warm the water to 100 to 110 degrees F, stir in the yeast and a pinch of the sugar, and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy, then add it with the rest of the ingredients and mix.
- Cover and let the dough rest for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Add in Crushed Graham crackers, is using. Perform three sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. With a wet hand, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat a few times for each set.
- After the last set, cover and let the dough rise for about 1 - 1.5 hour, until puffy and noticeably risen.
- Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper. Melt the butter and stir in the vanilla in one shallow bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the crushed graham crackers, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Lightly oil your hands. Pinch off a small ball of dough, dunk it fully in the vanilla butter, then roll it in the graham coating until covered. Place it in the pan. Repeat to make 24 balls in a 6 by 4 grid, all touching. Reserve any leftover coating for the top.
- Cover and proof for about 1 hour, until the balls are puffy and have grown together.
- Press a square of chocolate into the center of each ball, pushing it all the way down to the bottom. The dough springs up as it bakes, so a shallow piece will get pushed back to the surface.
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 22 minutes.
- Scatter mini marshmallows over the top in small clusters, two or three per ball, then sprinkle with the reserved graham coating. Bake for 3 more minutes, for 25 minutes total, until the marshmallows are puffed and golden. The internal temperature should read at least 190 degrees F.
- Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then pull apart and serve warm.
Notes
Storage. These are best warm the day they are made, when the chocolate is still melty and the marshmallows are fresh. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Reheating. Warm individual pieces in a 300 degree oven for a few minutes until the chocolate softens again. The graham coating stays crispest in the oven, but the microwave works in a pinch for about 15 seconds.
Make Ahead. Shape and arrange the coated balls in the pan, then refrigerate overnight instead of the room temperature second proof. The next day, let the pan sit at room temperature until the balls are fully puffy and jiggly. Once fully proofed, press in the chocolate and bake as directed. Do not add the chocolate and marshmallows until the dough has finished proofing.
Yeast Notes. Use room temperature water for instant yeast and warm water at 100 to 110 degrees F for active dry yeast. Be sure to check the package for the correct water temp. Too hot kills the yeast and too cold will not activate it. Watch for the dough to genuinely double and feel puffy before moving on.
Chocolate. Use a real chocolate bar you would eat on its own, broken into squares or chopped into chunks. Look for clean chocolate without a lot of additives, since it melts into a glossy molten center. Avoid chocolate chips, which are made to hold their shape and resist melting.
Have Fun With It. Tuck a small square of graham cracker in alongside the chocolate for extra crunch. Try a marshmallow inside if you are curious, though it will likely leave a hollow gap. Or blanket the whole top with marshmallows for a fully toasted marshmallow lid. Make it yours.
Sourdough Version. Want to use active sourdough starter instead? The full sourdough version is in the recipe card and instructions on the blog post above.
