Submitted by nicole on Wed, 05/30/2012 - 12:56

Now, don't think I'm knocking regular old s'mores. That staple of campfires everywhere is absolutely delicious, and imbued with nostalgia and sweet memories of summers past.

But truly amazing homemade s'mores made with homemade graham crackers and homemade marshmallows and high quality chocolate--holy cow, they're something else entirely!

The foundation of the homemade s'more is the graham cracker.

I used this recipe from Martha Stewart, and found it easy, and absolutely delicious. there's a nuttiness and a richness to homemade graham crackers that the store bought version can't touch.

I didn't have a fancy fluted pastry wheel like martha recommends, and I was rather more haphazzard docking the crackers with my fork, but I liked the rustic effect!

The next element is the all-important marshmallow.

Making homemade marshmallows does involve using a candy thermometer, but they're really not difficult at all. This is my favorite recipe for fluffy, flavorful, fabulous homemade marshmallows.

Added bonus of using homemade marshmallows in s'mores: They toast up evenly and beautifully, with more golden surface area than the standard shape!

The final element in making the most remarkable s'mores you will ever taste is a seriously good quality chocolate. I used a selection of chocolates I found at Trader Joe's, but there are many high quality options out there. One easy choice is Ghiradelli squares. They are easy to find at your local grocer, are already in thin square shapes, and come in a wide variety of yummy flavors. Pick whatever strikes your fancy--but do yourself a favor and upgrade from the Hershey's just this once! Go back to that old standby when you're using store bought graham crackers and marshmallows.