‘Smore Than A S’more Tart
There were many reasons why I loved going to summer camp. The activities were nonstop and the friendships were the best. Yet, nothing could compare to my hedonistic pleasure of making and eating s’mores.
In my humble opinion toasting marshmallows to perfection is an art. I have many friends who do not have the patience to slowly turn the stick around and around over the open campfire, so that each marshmallow is evenly browned. They just slam the marshmallow right into the fire, watch it until it is flaming black and then blow it out.
The problem with the marshmallow-on-fire technique is that the inside of the marshmallow is still cold and firm. I want my marshmallows to melt away and am willing to wait those extra couple of minutes for this to happen. The solution is to put my marshmallows (because I like a minimum of two marshmallows in each s’more I eat) between the graham cracker and slab of chocolate, pull back on the stick that the marshmallows were toasted with, while securing the marshmallows within by gently squeezing on the outside graham crackers, and watch the marshmallows ooze out the side of my s’more.
Most people, who enjoy s’mores, make them with the chocolate and marshmallow sandwiched between two graham crackers. I ‘save’ my calories, so to speak, by putting the marshmallows between just a single graham cracker and a block of chocolate, thereby only needing one-half of a graham cracker per s’more.
My very healthy s’more approach got me thinking that there had to be a delicious way of incorporating my love of s’mores with my desire to serve a dessert that does not require a bonfire. Fortunately, with s’mores having just three ingredients I did not need to use too many brain cells to come up with a solution.
‘Smore Than A S’more Tart starts with a baked graham cracker crust. A chocolate ganache filling takes a plain chocolate bar to a whole new level and is brought to perfection by placing marshmallows partially into it, so that they don’t pop out before anyone has the chance to eat them.
This led to the dilemma of how to get that toasty taste of the marshmallows without having to call the fire department. It took a couple of tries, but an answer was found. I placed the tart pan on a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and set it onto the top rack of the oven, which allowed the marshmallows to broil beautifully. The tart pan must be watched like a hawk and rotated, constantly, to ensure even browning. Once the marshmallows are toasted all over, allow the tart to sit for 30 minutes.
When you try the ‘Smore Than A S’more Tart, there is a good chance you may want to start singing Kumbaya. I strongly suggest going with that urge and enjoying the entire experience!
| S'more Than A Smore Tart | Print |
- Graham cracker crust:
- 1 package graham crackers
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Chocolate ganache filling:
- 18 ounces chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- Marshmallow topping:
- 2¼ to 2½ cups miniature marshmallows
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Set aside a 9” tart pan with removable bottom.
- For the crust:
- Combine the graham crackers and sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until it is the consistency of powder. Add the melted butter and pulse on/off until well blended. Spray the tart pan with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer the crust mixture to the pan and pat evenly up the sides and onto the bottom. Place the tart pan onto a sheet of aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack.
- For the chocolate ganache filling and marshmallow topping:
- Once the crust has cooled, prepare the filling. Place the chocolate chips into a medium size bowl and set aside. Place the butter and cream into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Pour over the chocolate chips and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Pour the ganache into the crust.
- Starting on the outside edge of the tart and working your way in, place the marshmallows onto the top of the ganache, pressing halfway into the chocolate (this prevents them from falling off once the tart has been broiled). Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Place the ‘Smore Than A S’more Tart on a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. Broil the tart on the top rack of the oven until the marshmallows are browned. This happens quickly. I keep the oven door open and rotate the aluminum foil that the tart pan is on to ensure even browning.
- Remove from the oven and allow the tart to sit for at least 30 minutes. Remove the side of the pan and then carefully slide the tart off the bottom and onto a serving place (or place the tart pan directly onto the serving plate).
- Betsy's tidbits:
- Small slices go a long way as this is a deliciously rich dessert.
- As the oven browns the marshmallows, it also melts the chocolate ganache filling. Therefore, the tart must sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Otherwise, the filling will be too loose.
