It’s the start of the best time of the year – the beginning of my friend Ashlynd’s party-hosting season!

Ashlynd is an absolutely amazing party host, and she doesn’t shy away from a good theme, usually transforming her home and garden into a magical space to suit the occasion. The last big party she hosted was New Year’s Eve, and I’ve been patiently waiting for midsummer to come around since it marks the beginning of a string of birthdays and other party-worthy occasions that promise to spark joy and inspire her inner hostess.

To kick the season off, she threw a summer garden party over the weekend with no other motivation than for her friends to celebrate the most vibrant time of year and enjoy the gorgeous garden she and her husband, Austin, have worked so hard on since early spring.

Of course, as the resident baker of the friend group, it has become tradition for me to provide the desserts for these occasions. I genuinely look forward to making over-the-top dishes to match the playful whimsy of Ashlynd’s parties, and I was surprised to find myself stumped about what to prepare for this simple summer garden scene.

Usually, I would reach for fresh fruit, but with the ongoing threat of cyclosporiasis, I was reluctant to use much produce. So I thought hard about what else might scream summer without risking our livelihoods and finally landed on the most classic summertime treat I could imagine: s’mores!

Just the idea of s’mores triggered a nostalgic trip for me, taking me back to my childhood. Does anyone else remember that scene in “The Sandlot” where Ham teaches Smalls how to make s’mores for the first time? That’s the first thing I thought of, and since that movie made its debut the same year I did, I began reminiscing about other staple desserts from my upbringing and suddenly remembered the iconic dirt cake of the early ’90s!

It was a layered combination of crushed Oreo cookies and chocolate pudding decorated with a gummy worm hanging over the edge to mimic a fresh clod of garden dirt, and I loved it dearly. Interestingly, even though dirt cake first appeared in the late ’80s, it gained nationwide popularity through a Jell-O campaign that went to print the same year “The Sandlot” came out – 1993! It’s all coming together. Jell-O’s marketing campaign really emphasized the wacky appearance of the dessert, encouraging parents to “play in the dirt with their kids,” and I felt this was the energy I wanted to contribute to the garden party.

Fully inspired by pure nostalgia and childlike joy, I decided to lean into both the s’mores and dirt cake ideas, fusing them into a perfect summertime treat! I made a s’mores-inspired trifle that combined chocolate cake with graham cracker crust, homemade dark chocolate mousse and a thoroughly torched Swiss meringue to give off that toasted marshmallow flavor.

For décor, I went for an elevated dirt cake style that incorporated fresh zinnias and herbs from Ashlynd’s garden but made sure to keep the crushed Oreo cookies and classic gummy worms as the stars of the show. Finally, I replaced the traditional clear plastic cup with a beautiful glass trifle dish that belonged to my friend Randi’s grandmother.

In an effort not to overwhelm the food section with a slightly complicated three-part s’mores dirt cake trifle recipe, I’m just going to share my homemade pudding recipe so that you can make your own elevated dirt cake at home! Just whip up a decadent dark chocolate pudding and then layer it with crushed Oreo cookies. If you want to make this for picky palates, substitute milk chocolate for a lighter and sweeter flavor profile. With the addition of a few gummy worm garnishes and an edible flower or some fresh herbs, this silly, nostalgic and absolutely delicious treat is sure to make you and anyone you serve smile from ear to ear!

DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING DIRT CAKE

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
26 grams Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder (1/4 cup)
22 grams cornstarch (2 1/2 tablespoons)
1/2 tablespoon espresso powder
Pinch of sea salt
480 mL half-and-half (2 cups)
1 egg yolk
85 grams 85% dark chocolate, chopped (3-ounce bar)
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
28 grams salted butter (1/4 stick), cut into chunks
About 12 Oreo cookies, crushed
Gummy worms
Optional: Edible flowers or herbs, for garnish

Directions
■ In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, espresso powder and salt.
■ Slowly stream in the half-and-half while whisking to avoid floating chunks of dry ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently.
■ As soon as the chocolate mixture has heated, but before it has thickened, whisk the egg yolk in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle some of the warm chocolate mixture into the yolk, whisking constantly to temper it and prevent scrambling. Return the yolk mixture to the saucepan and whisk to combine.
■ Continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
■ Remove from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate and whisk until completely melted and smooth.
■ Add the butter and vanilla bean paste and whisk until the butter has melted.
■ Pour the pudding into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill and set.
■ Before assembling, crush the Oreo cookies in a blender or food processor, or place them in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or another heavy object.
■ To assemble, place a layer of pudding in your serving dish, followed by a layer of crushed Oreo cookies. Repeat for two layers. Garnish with gummy worms and edible flowers or herbs, if desired, and serve.

Kristin is a Columbus local and a graduate of MUW’s Culinary Arts Program. She lives downtown with her husband Jon and her naughty cat Sokka. In her free time she enjoys baking, making stained glass art and hanging out with her friends. If you see her in town, say hi!

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