Happy Camper

May 25, 2020

Only once in my life have I attempted any form of overnight camping. At five or six years old, eyes full of stars and head full of dreams, my parents pitched a tent right in the backyard, no more than a few feet from our back door. Safe from the true elements but still firmly planted in the “great” outdoors, it was an ideal way of testing the waters.

It was all perfect. My sister and I made shadow puppets after the sun fell, giggling long into the night. We rolled around in sleeping bags, despite the balmy summer air. As soon as the flashlights switched off, however, I was inconsolable. The ground was too hard, there were ants and mosquitoes and (maybe!) spiders, it was too dark, too cramped, too breezy, too… Outdoors. After about 15 minutes, I hightailed it back inside to my bed.

To this day, my idea of “roughing it” still involves WIFI and running water, but no matter. I would gladly build a campfire to roast marshmallows and make s’mores any day. After all, that’s really the only reason anyone would bother with camping, right?

Starbucks knows this and capitalizes on the concept. Their seasonal S’mores Crème Frappuccino makes all the glory of camping accessible without pulling out of the drive-through line. It is, sadly, one of the few concoctions that can’t be veganized.

Save yourself the trouble, heartache, and money by just making your own at home. Instead of marshmallow-infused whipped cream, my copycat recipe is crowned by a plume of aquafaba marshmallow fluff, homemade chocolate syrup, and a crunchy sprinkle of crushed graham crackers. The base is a simple blended iced mocha, made from frozen coffee cubes, so the mixture isn’t watered down by plain ice.

Raise a glass to the goodness of summer, without having to hike into the woods and set up camp.

Yield: Makes 1 -2 Servings

S'mores Frappe (Starbucks S'mores Crème Frappuccino Copycat)

Make one of Starbucks' best-selling seasonal frappuccinos right at home! This vegan version uses aquafaba marshmallow fluff instead of whipped cream for a lighter, more flavorful finish. A refreshing blended mocha base is topped off by this fluffy finish, along with homemade chocolate syrup and crushed graham crackers. It's all the best tastes of summer, without the campfire.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Syrup:

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder
1/3 Cup Water
1/8 Teaspoon Salt

Mocha Frappe:

1 Cup Brewed Strong Coffee, Cooled
1 Cup Non-Dairy Milk
1/4 Cup Chocolate Syrup

Aquafaba Mashmallow Fluff:

1/4 Cup Aquafaba
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

To Assemble:

Chocolate Syrup, as Needed
1 Graham Cracker, Crushed

Instructions

Begin by making the chocolate syrup. Whisk together the sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan before slowly pouring in the water. Whisk until smooth, and turn on the heat to medium. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring frequently, and add in the salt. Let cool completely and transfer to a squeeze bottle. This can also be prepared well in advanced, doubled or tripled, and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three weeks.
For the aquafaba marshmallow fluff, pour the aquafaba into the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment installed and gradually increase the speed up to its highest setting. Once you have a steady froth going, slowly sprinkle in the sugar and cream of tartar together. Whip at full power for 5- 7 minutes, until you achieve a sturdy meringue that stands up at firm peaks. Keep chilled until ready to use; up to 5 hours in the fridge.
For the mocha frappe itself, freeze the coffee in an ice cube tray for 3 - 4 hours, or until solid. It doesn't hurt to plan ahead and have cubes ready to go at all times, ready whenever cravings strike.
Place the cubes in your blender along with the non-dairy milk of your choice and 1/4 cup chocolate syrup. Puree on high until completely smooth.
It's time to assemble your frosty refresher! Drizzle inner walls of one large or two small glasses with syrup for a bit of extra flair, if desired. Pour in the blended mocha frappe, spoon or pipe aquafaba fluff on top, drizzle with even more chocolate sauce, and finish with a light shower of graham cracker crumbs. Serve and sip right away!

Notes

The chocolate sauce can be prepared well in advanced, doubled or tripled, and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 698Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 265mgCarbohydrates: 157gFiber: 4gSugar: 136gProtein: 9g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.

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Happy Camper

S'mores Frappe (Starbucks S'mores Crème Frappuccino Copycat)