Campfire Girls Peanuts

Girl Scout cookie sushi? Chefs get creative at bake-off

KALAMAZOO — A platter of peanut butter s’mores with homemade marshmallows, homemade graham crackers and finely ground Tagalongs cookies was placed above a campfire with rising flames made out of sugar.

“I wanted something to represent the Girl Scouts, so we came up with s’mores and a campfire,” Amber Mathews, pastry chef of Food Dance, said of the super-sweet creation. “It’s all about them today.”

Mathews was among chefs taking part in the Girl Scout Cookie Bake-off held Wednesday night at the Girl Scouts regional headquarters in Kalamazoo.

Nine restaurants and catering companies came together to create desserts out of Girl Scout cookies in the $45-ticket fundraiser for Girls Scouts Heart of Michigan.

The Union Cabaret & Grill won first place for judges’ choice for best dessert with a Dual Gelato Samoa-crusted Girl Scout Cake. Chef Paul Parrish used four types of Girl Scout Cookies to make the cake. The restaurant also won first place in the Girl Scout Cookie Bake-off in 2003.

The most unusual dessert entry may have been Chocolatea’s Tea-ramisu. Owner Polly Kargt soaked Girl Scout Trefoil cookies in Earl Grey tea and combined that with a layer of cream cheese in a plastic cup.

Youths who were part of the Heart of Michigan Yummy In Your Tummy Day Camp won the award for most creative dessert. They worked with Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites pastry chef Michelle Iske to create Cookie Sushi.

Rice Krispies Treats and red licorice were wrapped in crushed Girl Scout cookies and marshmallow cream, which were then wrapped in fruit roll-ups. Cut pieces of the dessert resembled sushi.

Grace Poucher, 9, tucked a pair of wooden chopsticks behind one ear to advertise the sushi.

“They didn’t have the best food, but they were involved and creative,” said judge Kathy Beauregard, director of athletics at Western Michigan University. “They get extra points from me for creativity.

A More Mature S'More: No Camp Fire Needed

I recently got back from visiting my summer sleep away camp. So forgive me if I’m feeling nostalgic for the simpler days, when color war was my biggest source of stress and dip n’ dots ice cream was a novelty.

(And also forgive me if I start cheering or singing mid post. I went to girls camp. That’s what we do.)

But all of the cheering and tearing up got me thinking: I may be too old to be a camper, but I can still indulge in some of the sweeter childhood treats that I haven’t grown out of, but don’t often take the time to enjoy.

Like S’Mores.  Who doesn’t love the simple pleasure of a toasted (or even burned) marshmallow, against the crisp of a graham cracker and sweetness of a chunk of chocolate? Parchment paper

For the chocolate covered graham cracker:

Set half the graham crackers aside and do not coat them in chocolate. Use a double boiler to melt about 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon of butter over a pot of boiling water, stirring frequently. When chocolate is smooth and melted, dip your first square into the chocolate to coat fully. Remove and place on parchment paper.

Coat with pieces of peanuts (or your favorite candy or savory spice). Sprinkle with sea salt.  Continue, using the remaining chocolate, until half of your box of graham crackers are coated.  Place graham crackers in refrigerator until the chocolate is hardened, around 30 minutes. (this can be done in advance and stored in refrigerator).

For the sandwich:

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange reserved, plain graham crackers on baking sheet.  Top each with 1 marshmallow.  Bake for 10-14 minutes, depending on how toasty you like your marshmallow. Top your marshmallow with a chocolate covered graham cracker.

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