It could be said that graham crackers are a divine invention, inspired by the 19th century preaching of Sylvester Graham, who touted the benefits of a vegetarian diet with whole grains. Graham flour — made from coarsely ground whole wheat — was created especially for Graham’s followers, known as Grahamites, and the flour was used to make bread and crackers. The first mass-produced graham crackers were sold in 1898 and these slightly sweet, crispy and versatile treats earned an enduring place in the nation’s heart.
In honor of this mighty little cracker, I’ve scoured the internet to bring you two graham-a-licious recipes. Both are chilled desserts just right for the Northwest’s sunny autumn days, all three of them.
Mango Float
This creamy, fruity dessert, also called crema de mangga or crema de fruta, is popular in the Philippines and can also be made with ladyfingers. Traditional versions call for super-sweet Manila or Carabao mangos, but I used whatever variety I picked up at the grocery store and waited for them to ripen to a sugary softness in my fruit bowl. I would also try this recipe with peaches, nectarines, apricots, fresh berries or bananas.
First, peel and thinly slice or dice two large, very ripe mangos or three to four small ones and set aside. Whip a pint (2 cups) of heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, then slowly add one can (14 ounces) of sweetened condensed milk and a teaspoon of vanilla.
Line the bottom of an 8-by-8-inch pan with graham crackers, breaking crackers as necessary to completely cover the bottom, and top with a layer of cream (about a quarter of the cream mixture). Lay sliced mango over the cream, then add another layer of graham crackers. Repeat with three more cream and mango layers, decorating the top layer with artfully arranged mango slices and graham cracker crumbs. (Altogether, that’s almost three sleeves of crackers.)
Chill for five hours or overnight, letting the graham crackers completely soften. You can also freeze this dessert, but it must be refrigerated first to allow the crackers to get soft.
S’mores Trifle
My husband is British, and he would say that trifle is nothing to trifle with, because he loves puns so painfully obvious that they cause bystanders to feel sharp pains in their solar plexuses. At any rate, he’s wrong, because trifle is exactly the sort of thing that begs for variation, and this chocolatey, fluffy dessert is an inventive riff on the English classic. It has an advantage over actual s’mores in that you don’t need a fire to eat it, although you can eat it by the fireplace in your living room, and that’s just as good and doesn’t involve mosquitoes.
There are versions of s’mores trifle that call for brownies, but I’m keeping it simple because I’m actually rather lazy. (Sorry, but it’s time you knew.) At any rate, if you want to add a layer of brownies, you go right ahead.
Start with a sleeve of graham crackers and a container of marshmallow creme. Break the crackers into quarters along the dotted lines and spread each quarter with marshmallow creme. This will be sticky and exasperating but lick your fingers often and you’ll be fine. Set the crackers, marshmallow side up, into the bottom of a trifle bowl or deep glass dish.
Sprinkle with mini-marshmallows, then make enough creme-topped crackers for another layer. Do not accidentally set your mixing bowl down on top of the gooey crackers. Also, there’s no shame in licking marshmallow fluff off the bottom of your bowl.
Next, whip up a large package (5.9 ounces) of instant chocolate pudding. Spoon half of the pudding over the crackers and marshmallows. If you’re feeling decadent, sprinkle chocolate chips on top or grate part of a Hershey’s chocolate bar over the pudding. If you’re not feeling decadent, why are you making a s’mores trifle?
Now either whip 2 cups of heavy whipping cream with vanilla and sugar, or get out a thawed container of whipped topping and spread a layer of cream on top of the chocolate pudding and chocolate bits. I decided on fresh whipping cream because I’m trying to impress readers who think whipped topping is cheating. You can also make your own chocolate pudding for this recipe, but I draw the line there because pudding is hard.
Continue with the layers until you get to the top of the dish or run out of ingredients. Try to finish off with a layer of cream decorated with mini-marshmallows, grated chocolate and graham cracker bits. Let it chill in the fridge for several hours until the crackers soften. If you want to get fancy, use a culinary torch to toast the marshmallows, but please don’t set your kitchen on fire.
