S'more Pull Aparts

Here is an intriguing recipe I came across in a bread recipe booklet. Since there was some leftover cottage cheese from our lasagna supper, I decided to make these S'more Pull Aparts which interestingly use 3/4 cup of cottage cheese. The cottage cheese keeps these rolls, similar to cinnamon rolls, incredibly moist and tender. The dough also uses buttermilk, and can easily be mixed up in a food processor. The dough is then kneaded briefly, spread with melted butter, and sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs, milk chocolate chips, and ground cinnamon. Once rolled up and cut, the twelve rolls are placed in a springform pan, brushed with more melted butter, and baked for 20 minutes. Then they are sprinkled with miniature marshmallows and more chocolate chips and baked for 5-10 more minutes. The only change I would suggest is to use a bit less graham cracker crumbs and more chocolate chips, but that's just my personal taste! The dough is very nice and easy to work with, easy to cut too, although a little bit of the filling may seep out. A very yummy way to enjoy a different twist on s’mores in the off-season, while enjoying a cinnamon roll too!

S'more Pull Aparts

¾ cup cottage cheese

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups white all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

FILLING

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted, divided

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

¾ cup milk chocolate chips

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

TOPPING

1 ¼ cups miniature marshmallows

¼ cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400◦F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla, process until very smooth. Add remaining dry ingredients, pulse together just until dough looks like a mass of small beads, beginning to clump together (I mixed the cottage cheese, buttermilk, and butter in the food processor, but did the rest by hand, as my food processor was not large enough).

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for one minute until smooth. Roll dough out to a 12x15-inch rectangle.

Brush surface with two tablespoons of the melted butter, leaving a ½ inch border all around. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and two tablespoons of melted butter, sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and cinnamon.

Starting at long end, roll up dough jelly roll style, pinch seam to seal. Cut dough into twelve equal-sized pieces with a serrated knife. Arrange in prepared pan. Brush with remaining melted butter.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes, then unmold. Serve warm, or reheat in the microwave.

 "Easy S'mores Pull Aparts.” http://www.robinhood.ca/recipedetails.aspx?rid=4891. Robin Hood, n.d. Friday, November 18, 2011.