Chocolate Mousse S’mores
It took me a while to really appreciate S’mores. Till this day I only like eating the toasted marshmallow and I completely skip the graham cracker and chocolate. I definitely get weird looks for that move. But you can’t blame me because growing up in the Middle East we didn’t have graham crackers or Hershey’s Chocolate available. Most of the chocolate was either imported from Europe or locally made.
However, I am really starting to appreciate S’mores and understand why it’s a crowd favorite . Especially when it’s in the form of a chocolate mousse dessert like this one!
I find it interesting to observe the different ways people like their marshmallows roasted. It almost tells you a little about their personality. I know some individuals who love their marshmallows almost burnt! It turns black, I call these people a little extreme and you might want to check your taste buds.
Some take their time and roast it slowly until it’s puffy on the outside and super gooey on the inside, these people are patient and value delayed gratification. Others who roast it for 3 seconds only because they want S’mores like stat.
I’d say I’m somewhere in the middle, I like an evenly roasted marshmallow that’s slightly burnt but NOT black- and it has to be gooey on the inside. I just realized I wrote a whole paragraph correlating people personalities with how they roast their marshmallows… Dr. Drew where are you? I need help.
I wanted to create a twist on this classic treat but I also wanted to maintain the simplicity of a S’more. The homemade graham cracker is so delicious, you’ll never go back to the store bought ones. The chocolate mousse is light and sweet. The melted chocolate in between the crust and mousse helps prevent the crust from getting soggy- but a little more chocolate never hurt anyone. Finally, the homemade marshmallow frosting is divine and incredibly easy to make, you’ll eat it right out of a spoon!
Things You Should Know-Chocolate Mousse S’mores
- Make sure to use parchment paper for your pan, it will make your life so much easier to release the dessert from the pan! Check the picture above on what it should look like.
- It’s best to make the mousse a day ahead so sets completely. However, if you want to make it the same day, try to give it 4-6 hours in the fridge.
- The melted chocolate layer helps create a barrier between the mousse and graham cracker to prevent the crust from getting soggy.
- The marshmallow frosting should be made the day you are planning on serving the dessert. Marshmallow frosting will deflate overnight in the fridge and will begin to droop. So keep it fresh.
- If you don’t have a blow torch, the frosting will be just as delicious. Other wise you can get a small one at your nearest hardware store. Make sure you consult with someone first on how to use.
Marshmallow Frosting recipe.
- 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbs honey
- 1 tsp molasses optional
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet choclate chopped or you can use chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
- 6 oz Hershey's milk chocolate bar chopped into small pieces
- 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder optional
- 4 large egg whites, at room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- pinch salt
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 inch square pan with butter and line with parchment paper. Make sure the paper goes over the edges of the pan for easier release.
- Place all the dry ingredients in a small bowl and mix to incorporate. In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, honey and molasses until smooth and light in a color (3 minutes). Add the dry ingredients and mix on slow until the flour is JUST incorporated. Take the dough and press it into the prepared pan as evenly as possible. Poke holes in the dough with a fork. This helps release the steam while baking and keep the crust from puffing up. Place the dough in the fridge for about ten minutes. Then bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes until the crust is evenly golden brown.
- Once the crust is done, remove from oven and allow to cool. Take the half cup of chopped semi-sweet chocolate (or chips) and place in a heat proof bowl. Place it in the microwave and melt the chocolate at 20 second increments stirring after each round. It took me four times but microwave temps vary. Once the chocolate has completely melted pour over graham cracker crust and spread into a thin layer. Set aside to cool down completely.
- Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of gelatin over 1 Tbs of cold water and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Chop the milk chocolate into small pieces and place in a heat proof bowl.
- In a small sauce pan, heat 1/3 cup of the heavy cream until steaming. Add the gelatin and espresso (if using) and whisk until completely dissolved. Pout the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and allow to sit for 20 -30 seconds, then whisk together until the mixture is smooth.
- Place remaining heavy cream ( leftover is almost a cup, doesn't have to be exact) into a bowl of a stand mixer and whip the cream into soft peaks. The cream should droop but not fall off the whisk. Using a spatula, take about half of the whipped cream and fold into the milk chocolate mixture. Add the rest and fold until there are no visible streaks. Pour the mousse into the 8x8 pan and allow to cool in the fridge for up to 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- Add 2 inches of water into a medium sauce pan and bring the water to a simmer on medium heat. Place the egg whites, cup of sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in a heat proof bowl and whisk to combine. Transfer the bowl onto the sauce pan with hot water (make sure the water is NOT touching the bowl) and whisk continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved-check with you fingers. Once the sugar has melted transfer the egg white mixture to a stand mixer and whisk on medium high speed for about 5 minutes. Until it turns fluffy, white and glossy! Add the vanilla and mix quickly until incorporated.
- Gently release the mousse s'mores from the pan by pulling the edges of the parchment paper. There is two ways for assembling the s'mores. You can spread the entire frosting on top of the mousse OR what I did, was cut them first then placed a dollop on each square. But I only did this because I wanted a specific look for the pictures. However, the first way is much easier and less messy! Lightly, torch the marshmallow frosting with a blow torch and serve immediately !
