s’mores mousse tart.

happy fourth of july!

well, almost.

i know i’m a little early, but if you’re anything like me, you’ve got the upcoming long weekend on the brain. i’m looking forward to spending time with good friends, setting off fireworks, and of course, eating!

please be sure to check out my guest post today on Sarah Hearts!

fourth of July is one of the biggest days for cookouts, and when the flames from the grill  begin to die down, it’s time for everyone’s favorite summertime treat: s’mores!

oh yeah. s’mores are the greatest, don’t you think? warm, gooey toasted marshmallows, melty chocolate and crunchy graham crackers, all in one portable package. pretty much the most perfect bite ever.

well, unless you’re me. you see, i’m pretty messy. i seem to spill things on me pretty often when i eat, and i’m always covered in crumbs. when it comes to s’mores, i have the uncanny ability to completely coat myself in melted marshmallow and drippy chocolate in five seconds flat.

no matter how dainty a bite i take, or how many napkins i use, it’s just one big hot mess of an experience. you know how a baby smashes cake and gets it everywhere on their first birthday? that’s me, with s’mores. every damn time.

that doesn’t change the fact that the s’mores flavor combination is delicious and addictive, so i decided to reinterpret this classic campfire delight: a s’mores mousse tart!

graham cracker crust, thick and fluffy chocolate mousse, and a plethora of tiny toasted marshmallows on top. s’mores you eat with a fork! it’s perfect!

this s’mores mousse tart can be made in lots of different styles: a classic round tart, a rectangular tart pan like i used, or you could even make it in a standard square pan.

any way you slice it (ha! get it? jokes!), this s’mores tart is sure to win you over. it’s a grown-up version of the childhood classic that we all know and love, plus you won’t have sticky fingers after you’re done eating! everybody wins.

so this weekend, be sure not set yourself on fire or blow off a finger or anything. instead, make this s’mores mousse tart and have a wonderful fourth of july!

s'mores mousse tart

Yield: two 9" round tart, or one 8" x 8" square pan, or one 14" x 4" rectangular tart pan

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes, plus cooling time

Ingredients:

for the graham cracker crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the chocolate mousse

4 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
12 ounces semisweet chocolate (bittersweet will also work!)
2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/4 cup coffee liqueur (you can substitute cooled espresso or cool brewed coffee)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the marshmallow topping

1 cup miniature marshmallows

Directions:

for the graham cracker crust

preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. butter your pan liberally, and set aside.

in a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter until the mixture is crumbly, moist, but holds together when you squeeze some of it into your palm.

pour the crust into your prepared pan, and press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. you can use the bottom of a cup to ensure the bottom is even and pressed in firmly.

bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. remove from the oven, and set aside to cool completely before filling.

for the chocolate mousse

whisk eggs and sugar in large metal bowl.

place bowl over saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.

whisk continually until the sugar is dissolved and the egg mixture registers 160 degrees F. the egg mixture will be slightly thickened and pale in color.

pass egg mixture through a sieve into the bowl of a stand mixer, or a clean bowl if using a handheld electric mixer. beat mixture until thick, voluminous, and cool, about 10 minutes. set aside.

in a separate metal bowl, melt chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water. stir until completely melted and smooth. add the instant espresso powder and remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.

in a separate bowl, combine heavy cream, coffee liqueur and vanilla extract. using an electric mixer, beat until the cream has made stiff peaks, about 2 minutes.

pour cooled melted chocolate over egg mixture, fold together.

fold in cream mixture until incorporated.

press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the mousse, making sure to cover completely.

chill in the fridge until set, at least 4 hours, or overnight.

mousse can be made up to three days in advance.

assembling the tart

take the mousse out of the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, or until you're able to mix it around smoothly with a spatula.

preheat your oven's broiler if using. if you have a handheld kitchen torch, have it standing by.

pour the mousse into the graham cracker crust and smooth the top with a spatula.

top the mousse with the miniature marshmallows, completely covering the mousse.

if using a kitchen torch, toast the marshmallows until they are deeply golden brown.

if using your oven's broiler, place the entire pan in the oven with the rack at the very top, and rotate the pan a 1/4 turn every 20 seconds or so. keep an eye on this, because the marshmallows can burn quickly! remove from the oven when the marshmallows are deeply browned.

you can slice and serve immediately for a more authentic s'mores experience, or place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up serve later.

the s'mores tart will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

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